Two In A Million - repost
by BreatheSemperMea
Summary: At the age of six, Callie's life takes a turn when she loses her family in a car accident. But then a bubbly, perky, five year old blonde comes into her life, changing it with just a smile. Follow them through their friendship as it evolves into a beautiful relationship. Prequel to TIAM 2, original story, repost
1. Chapter 1

AN: **Many many times requested** and now I decided to post it again, the original story of how our girls met at a young age in Two In A Million, at least for now. I'll upload the chapters every other day, so you can choose to write new reviews or just read in silence =)

AN2: There are no changes in the storyline, just some minor edits here and there to give the reader a better look into the scene.

AN3: I will repost the chapters exactly the way they were posted the first time. That means, short chapters inthe beginning but they'll get longer as the story continues. Same goes for my English. Since I am still not a native speaker, there might be still some mistakes.

* * *

**Chapter 1 – Destiny**

Little Arizona was walking and bouncing down the hallway of the hospital. Big blue eyes were scanning the hall and taking in everything that was happening around her. The dimpled smile stuck to her little face, blond curls bouncing up and down with every step. But suddenly she stopped in front of a patient room because she heard someone crying through the partly open door. She pressed her tiny, slightly chubby hands against the wood and pushed the door open.

Sitting in a hospital bed was a little girl, dark long tresses framing her face. Her right arm was in a bright red cast and she used her left little hand to wipe away the tears that kept rolling down her cheeks. Puffy red eyes didn't even notice the other girl.

"Why are you crying?", Arizona asked and walked further into the room. One hand fiddled with the hem of her shirt and the other tucked some of her blond strands behind her ear. It was something she had turned into a habit since her mother couldn't always do her braids and her father couldn't even manage to make a simple pony tail.

Suddenly the other little girl stirred. Big brown puffy eyes looked down on Arizona. "I...I", she sobbed some more. "I am alone." Another surge of sadness wrecked her small quivering body. She didn't understand what she had done to deserve what was happening, changing in her short life.

The blonde girl tilted her head to her right. She didn't get what the brunette was saying. Not at all. Why did she feel alone? Where were her parents, her family. "What happened? Where are your parents?"

"We were in a", she stopped. Another heavy sob leaving her mouth before she could finishher sentence. "In a car accident." It was still hard to say it. Three days ago her life had been perfect and then everything had turned into hell for her.

Arizona stood still for a moment, before she started bouncing on her heels again. "Don't cry." She walked over to the bed and climbed on it, sitting down next to the other girl and pulled her into her arms. She had seen her father comforting her mother by embracing her and she also knew that she felt better whenever she was hugged. So in her eyes, hugging made everything better. "Don't cry", she said again.

After a few seconds in which sobs and cries were the only sounds? that could be heard, the brunette pulled away from Arizona and looked at her. "Why are you here?", she wondered, her voice stillteary. The other girl didn't seem to be sick, so why was she in a hospital?

"I got a little brother today! Mommy and he are sleeping", the blonde exclaimed in excitement. She already loved the new addition to her family. The little boy was perfect. Five little fingers that had been wrapped around her pinky the moment her father showed her her baby brother.

"My sister was in the car too." She wondered if she would ever understand how she could be the only one surviving an accident that took her whole family away from her. "She's gone."

"Oh… I am Arizona", the little girl said, trying to distract the other one. For some reason, she felt a connection with the girl sitting to her right.

"Calliope…", she sniffed. "Calliope Torres."

Hearing the name, Arizona was practically sure she wouldn't be able to say it right, but she wanted to make the other girl smile, so she tried anyway. "Call- Calli-pe ?", she struggled, the Spanish pronunciation not rolling off her tongue as good as any English name would have.

"Calliope", the little Latina laughed and Arizona found the light chuckles way better than the sobs the brunette had shared. For the first time in what felt like hours, Calliope felt her tears subsiding and for a moment, she even forgot that her family was gone.

"Calliope", Arizona smiled, obviously proud that she finally got it right. "Do you know where you're going to live?"

A pair of small shoulders shrugged and a head full of thick dark hair was lowered, brown eyes locked onto the ground. "I don't know", she answered honestly. "Do children whose family is dead stay in the hospital forever? I don't want that."

"Don't you have grandparents?", the blonde wondered. If her parents were going away, she was always staying at her grandparents for a night or two. Sometimes even during the day when her father had been away and her mother hadthings_,_adult things to do.

The brunette lowered her head. "No, I am all alone.", this time it was accompanied with one of the saddest sighs Arizona had ever heard.

As the little blonde saw the tears welling up again, she took Calliope's hand. "Hey, don't cry again. Maybe you can be like Kevin and live alone?", she offered. It was the last movie she had seen with her father and she kind of envied him for having the house all to himself.

"That's a movie.", Calliope stated as a matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, so you don't even have to be scared of the mean men", the blonde smiled, dimples popping into both of her cheeks. "Does your arm hurt much?" She had never had a broken arm, or leg, or even finger and she thought those kinds of pains would be unbearable.

"It's okay, I guess." She had been in pain, of course, but ever since a doctor had set her arm and put a cast around it, it was okay. Maybe it was numbed by the pain about her dead family.

With the broad smile still on her face, Arizona tapped carefully against the hard material around the little Latina's wrist and forearm. "I like the color. But I like pink the bestest", the blonde girl grinned. Everything in her room was pink. From her bed sheets to most of her toys.

"Pink is too girly." Shaking her head and scrunching her face, she looked at the other girl who promptly started to laugh. "What?"

"We are girls."

A little baffled by the blonde's reply, the little Latina needed to think about an answer before giving one back. "Yeah. But I am too old for that. I am over loving pink. I like red now. My dad always said it's a powerful color."

Shining blue eyes looked at the other girl, confusion written all overher face? She was sure she would never get over loving pink. It was the coolest color in the whole world, as far as she was concerned. "How old are you?"

"Six", the brunette said. "You?"

Narrowing her eyes, the other little girl counted in her head. Her father had taught her how to count because she was too eager, always wanting to learn more and more. Sure, she could spend hours coloring or listening to her father or grandpa reading her a story, but learning new things was something she'd always liked a little more than other kids her age. "Five. So, that's what? Two… no, one year", she answered when she had figured out the difference between their ages.

"Aria was two years older than me and we hated each other. She always said that I was too young to play with her."

"Well, I like you."

Big blue eyes stared at the little Latina who was finally able to smile back. "I like you too." She wiped more tears away with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. She wiped more tears away with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. They had started to spill again when she had talked about her sister, without her even noticing it.

"Arizona Robbins!", could be heard from the hallway.

"Oops, that's me. The Colonel's calling, I have to obey.

"The Colonel?"

Hopping off the bed, Arizona turned around, a wide smile grazing her lips as she looked at the little Latina. "Daddy", the blonde girl said. "Bye, Calliope."

"Arizona?", the little Latina said before her new friend slipped out put of her room, making her turn around once again. "Maybe you can come back tomorrow?"

"Sure", Arizona answered and left Callie alone and ran straight into her father's legs.

"Arizona Robbins, what are the rules for hospitals?", Daniel Robbins chastised. He was a strict man. A General through and through and although his child was still young, he expected her to follow his rules.

"Don't run away.", Arizona answered dutifully and tried to look away.

"And…?", he dug deeper, knowing that they had had the same conversation just a few minutes before he had taken his daughter into his wife's room.

Looking up, the smile faded. She knew she had acted against his rules and that he was allowed to get angry. "Do not bother other patients. But daddy, I didn't. There's a girl in this room and she was crying, I just wanted to make her better."

"Still, you ran away."

"I am sorry, daddy", she said batting her eyelashes and showing him her dimples, knowing that worked all the time with her mommy. "Colonel, Sir", she added to get on his good side.

"You are too smart for your own good, Dimples", he said picking her up in his strong arms.

"Daddy? Do children without a family stay in the hospital forever?", she asked, nuzzling her face against the Colonel Robbins' shoulder. It comforted her, nothing could hurt her if she was in her daddy's arms.

He tightened his grip on his daughter's small body. "Why do you ask something like that?"

"Because the girl in this room has no family anymore", she answered, locking her eyes to the door of Calliope's room.

"They don't stay at the hospital", the man said, telling her the truth, albeit knowing that she would want more answers after that.

"Where do they go?"

He was holding the blonde even closer to his body, absentmindedly, and was brushing through her golden tresses as he went down the hallway. "They'll live in an orphanage."

"Like the one we went to last Christmas?"

"Exactly like that."

A thoughtful sigh left her lips. She remembered last Christmas and all the kids in the orphanage. "There were so many children, daddy." The family had gone there as a social service,distributing donated gifts so the kids could have a little Christmas party too. She hadn't understood why Santa hadn't been the one bringing them presents, but her mother had told her that sometimes even Santa needed some help and that's why he had sent her daddy to the orphanage.

"I know, Dimples. And I know it made you sad."

"When I'm grown up and a doctor, I'll give one of them a new home."


	2. Destiny Part 2

AN: What a wonderful thing to read how much you like having this back up. A guest said that he/she wanted to read it again, but not if he/she had to wait for the next chapters when the whole story is already written. But I give myself a little time to get rid of some errors, so I do that those who decide to read it again.

AN: Thanks for the reviews. I have missed mini Calzona as well!

* * *

**Chapter 1: Destiny Part 2**

"You came back", Callie grinned as a little head with blond curly hair peaked through the door of her patient room. She had been excitedly waiting for Arizona to come back, for Arizona to make her smile again. The little girl still felt so sad and alone, almost empty, but with the blonde in the same room, somehow, it felt a little better.

Smiling at the little Latina, Arizona closed the distance between the door and the bed in bouncy steps. "Of course. Even with permission", she said and nodded her head. "Yesterday, I kinda sneaked out…" It wasn't exactly true. Her father had allowed her to leave her mother's room, but he had also told her not to go too far away.

The brunette chuckled at that. Not even once had she stolen herself away from her parents or babysitter, too afraid of her father's anger. She thought her blonde was really brave to disobey her father's words.

"I got you something" Arizona said, a broad grin appearing on her face. "When I feel alone, I always cuddle with Mr Turtles", she explained and looked down at the stuffed and fluffy green sea turtle in her arms, a small hand stroking over its head. "Unless you think you're too big to have a stuffed anything, being six years old."

"No!" Callie reached out for the toy with her left hand since her right was still in the cast and she was too afraid to move it too often. It didn't hurt that much but she didn't want to risk anything. She had never had a broken bone before and she didn't know for sure if the cast was enough to protect the already healing bone. "It's so fluffy", she smiled. "Thank you."

Climbing onto the bed, blue eyes flickered between the stuffed toy and the smile on the other girl's face. "Mr Turtles can keep you company, he's good at that. Just... maybe you can give him back when you leave the hospital?", Arizona asked.

"Of course", Callie grinned and nodded as she hugged the green and brown turtle tight to her chest. It didn't only feel good, it smelled good too, like cinnamon.

"Do you know now what will happen to you when you get out of the hospital?" She was curious what would happen to Calliope. Her father had said that an orphanage was an option, or maybe a foster family.

And there it was again, the sadness tugging at her little heart and she felt tears welling up again. "Not really", she answered and shook her head lightly. "A woman was here this morning, said something about orphanage and foster families. I didn't understand everything. I just want my family back. I miss my mamá and my papá. I even miss my sister."

Seeing the tears glistening in the little Latina's eyes, Arizona wanted to do something to make her feel better, but if Mr. Turtles didn't work right now, she needed a new plan. "Are you allowed to leave this room?", she asked having an idea to distract her new friend before she would start to cry again.

"Yeah, why?", she sniffed. Until now, she hadn't left her room that often. She didn't want to be in the playroom with the other kids, because sometimes, their parents came to pick them up and that made her sad all over again.

"Come with me." The curly blonde slid off the bed and waited for Callie to get out of it too.

"Where are we going?", Callie asked, giving in to her tears. She always tried to hold them back, but it never worked. It couldn't work when her brain made her think about her family all the time. Using the sleeve of her shirt to wipe her cheeks, she followed Arizona, despite the fact that she still didn't know what the other girl had in mind.

"You'll see." Arizona grabbed Callie by her left upper arm as her hand was still holding on to the fin of the stuffed turtle and the other one was still in the cast.

They made their way down the hall and through two heavy glass doors until Arizona stopped in front of a patient room. "I'll show you some joy", she said and pushed the door open. "Hey mommy." The smile on her face got even bigger.

The woman – half lying, half sitting – in the hospital bed looked up as her daughter had entered the room and wondered,"Arizona, you're back already? I thought you were visiting your new friend?"

Callie smiled as she heard Arizona's mother call her a friend. She liked the blonde girl and she could easily see her as a friend. Friends make you smile, her father had told her once, and Arizona could do that with ease.

"She's here too. Can we see Timmy?", the blonde asked dragging Callie into her mom's room without waiting for an answer. One, she really wanted to see her little brother and two, she didn't think her parents would mind. People came in here all the time. Doctors, nurses, her grandparents.

"Oh, Daniel look at that beautiful little girl. Isn't that Mr Turtles?", the woman asked as she noticed the stuffed turtle in the brunette's hand, not missing that the grip on the fluffed skin tightened instantly.

"It... it is", Arizona answered honestly and dropped her gaze to the floor, staring at her feet. "I thought that... maybe... he can stay with Calliope for a while, so she's not all alone. He's a good friend and good at keeping company, especially at night."

And though Arizona could not see it, her mom was smiling, seeing that they were doing everything right with raising their daughter. "You can see Timmy in a bit", she answered her daughter's question instead of remarking that she shouldn't give away her favorite stuffed animal. "He's asleep right now, but he'll be hungry soon. You can stay here if you want. And your friend can wait here too."

"Timmy is so cute!" Arizona beamed and led Calliope further into her mother's room. "He has big blue eyes, like I do. And yeah, okay he's a boy, but he's my brother so I guess he will be okay. He screams a lot when he's hungry but mommy said that I did the same when I was a baby", she rambled on and on about her brother.

Daniel, who had been silently observing the scene that took place before his eyes, suddenly stood up from his chair and walked over to his little girl. "Arizona Robbins, what did I tell you about bringing new people to meet your family?", her father asked in a stern voice, making Callie flinch but Arizona just turned around and smiled at him.

Dimples popping deep into her cheeks, as she flashed her father a big smile, she looked at him and said, "Oops. Sorry, I forgot. Mommy, daddy, this is Calliope, she's six years old and my new friend. Calliope, that's my mom and this is my father, Colonel Robbins."

"N-n-nice to meet you", Callie stammered, still a little scared of the tall man in front of her. He had a similar charisma like her father. Tall, stern voice and face. But she loved her father, because he was the best father in the whole world. This man though, she didn't know him and right now, he seemed a little scary.

"Nice to meet you too, young lady", Mrs Robbins smiled, taking the little Latina's attention away from her husband, well aware of the effect he could have on someone who didn't know that he was a softy at heart. "And what a beautiful color your cast is. Do you like red?"

The little Latina nodded, nervously tipping from one foot to the other as she tried to focus on the woman. She seemed nice, with her blonde waves that ended just above her shoulders framing her face and the warm blue eyes.

"Me too."

"I like green too", Callie said, her eyes traveling down to the turtle she still had a firm hold on. "But red is better", she grinned and after a few seconds of silence she added a quiet, "Pink's still okay." When she looked at Arizona, she noticed the deep dimples in the little girl's face again and right that moment, she started to like dimples, a lot.

As a blaring voice echoed through the small room, Colonel Robbins moved over to the bassinet and scooped his newborn son up in his arms only to hand him over to his wife. "I think he needs you more right now", he said with a wink.

"Look, look, Calliope. He's so cute. Daddy says he looks just like me when I was born", Arizona smiled proudly.

"Look, look, Calliope", Arizona exclaimed and tugged at the fabric of the Latina's shirt. "He's so cute. Daddy says he looks just like me when I was born", the blonde smiled proudly. She couldn't see her brother from where she was standing right now, but last night her father had shown her a picture of her asa baby and then another picture of her brother. The same little white face, the same little nose, he had said.

"He does, Dimples", her father reassured his daughter, knowing that it meant a lot to the little girl. Of course they had talked to her, told her that Timmy would get a little more attention because he needed more help because he was so tiny. And he had faith that Arizona had understood all of it, but giving his daughter attention as well was also important.

"He's going to break a lot of hearts once he's old enough", Barbara Robbins laughed while nursing her baby boy. Both their children would, she thought.

Stepping a little closer, Callie got a glimpse of the little boy and smiled. "He has blue eyes", she said, already fascinated by Arizona's big and sparkling blue orbs. Her whole family had brown eyes and dark hair. Her father's eyes had been a little lighter than her mother's but Anina and she had inherited her mother's eyes.

"Yeah", Daniel chuckled,his rough voice sounding less and less scary to the brunette. "With Barbara's and my blue eyes, there was no way one of our children would end up with intense brown eyes such as yours." He knew every member of his family fell in love with his little girls' eyes, but he could already tell that the Latina's eyes had the same effect. They were so deep and almost black.

"Thank you, Sir", Callie answered politely, just like she had learned from her father.

"Do you wanna hold him? Daddy said, I can hold him, but I have to sit down." Seeing the big smile on Callie's face, Arizona knew she offered something good. But as the little girl's face fell, she was confused. "What? Did I say something wrong?", she asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Your parents probably won't allow that. He's only two days old and I am not your family...so..." Brown eyes saddened slightly before drifting off to the ground. She could not hold the boy with her cast, she was sure everyone would think she would drop him.

"Oh Daniel, I think it is okay. What do you think?" Barbara asked, not able to see the little girl so sad. She would just make sure to help her, to stabilize his head if Callie couldn't do that on her own.

Smiling at his wife, knowing that she was trying to cheer the girl up just like his daughter, he finally said, "If you sit down and Timothy is fed and has burped, I guess it will be okay."

"Really?", Brown eyes got even bigger as the little brunette looked up to see Arizona's father. She had never expected for them to say yes.

"Really", he reassured her and first picked up his own daughter so sit her down on his wife's bed and then he did the same with the beaming Latina whose eyes were locked on the new born boy who was happily drinking the milk Mrs. Robbins was offering him.


	3. Destiny Part 3

"Mommy, can I go see Calliope?", Arizona asked the next day as they were visiting her mom again. She had been sitting with her parents for at least half an hour and Timmy had been sleeping all the time so she was beyond bored watching her little brother and her parents weren't that entertaining at the moment either.

"Are you sure you don't want to spend some time with your brother?" Even if he was sleeping, she could watch him all day, see the smallest new detail that resembled either her husband or her daughter. She had been the same when Arizona had been born, just content to stare at the infant for hours on end.

"I can see him every day when he's home", the little blonde stated with a light huff. "When you come home tomorrow, she'll be alone here and..." Before she went one with er explanation, she looked to her dad, not knowing that her mother did the same.

"Arizona", Daniel said as he bent down so he was eye-leveled with his daughter. "You know the rules. Don't go anywhere else. Don't bother other patients or the nurses and don't run down the hallway."

"Yes, Colonel Robbins", the blonde said, playfully saluting with her small hand just like her father had taught her and before her parents could even blink, their daughter was through the door, racing down the hall to Callie's room.

"I thought I said no running", Danielmumbled. Sometimes he wondered if he would ever be able to get some of his rules into his daughter's stubborn head. She looked like an angel with her golden locks and her bright blue eyes and he often found himself falling for his little girl's charm. And if he couldn't keep his overly stern Marine behavior around Arizona, he didn't know how other's would be able to.

"You did, darling", Barbara answered, lightly patting her husband's arm with her right hand while softly rocking her son in her other arm. "But you know her. There's so much energy in that little girl, it's a wonder we get her down for the night", she chuckled. There was no way she would be mad at her daughter for caring for another girl and wanting to be friends with her, especially since Calliope really needed someone.

"Let's just hope this little man here will give us some time before he'll be a handful as well." Taking his son out of his wife's arms, pure joy made its appearance on his face. "You will, right Timothy? You'll be a good son, you'll listen to your parents and you'll be the best behaved little boy in Seattle, right?", he whispered before putting the baby boy into the bassinet.

"It's sad, you know?"  
"What is... sad?", Daniel asked, barely able to look away from the latest addition to his family. He smiled as a tiny hand grabbed one of his fingers and held on tightly even as his eyes fluttered open and close and he was back asleep within mere seconds, stirred awake only because he had been taken away from his mother.

Watching her husband taking care of her son's well-being, Barbara took a breath before she further explained, "The little girl. She has no one and she has to stay in the hospital until someone picks her up only to get her to an orphanage and maybe to a foster family after a while."

"Barbara, growing up as an orphan is not horrible. Of course, it's nothing compared to a real family. But there are a lot of couples out there that can't get a child of their own and who consider adoption." He knew his wife long enough to get where her mind was taking her.

"But she is six, Daniel", Barbara chimed in. "Six years old and she has just lost her family. I know there are still foster families that take older children. But most of them want babies. Babies who don't have a past and memories of a family because it's easier. And all I am saying is that it's sad. And she's so cute." The little Latina definitely was a sight for sore eyes with her big brown eyes and her politeness.

"Barb", Daniel warned in a stern voice and using the shortened version of her name, knowing what his wife was thinking that moment. Of course, he too felt sorry for Calliope and her situation but he didn't see anything he or they could do.

"I'm just saying", she defended herself ad leaned back into her pillow, knowing that she at least got her husband to think in the same direction she was thinking.

xxx

After rushing down the hallway to get to her new friend, Arizona could hardly wait and just pushed down the handle. "Calliope!", the little blonde burst smiling through the door of the patient room. "Oh... uhm... I'm sorry?" She instantly slowed down as she noticed that the Latina was not alone today.

"Arizona!", Callie beamed, the woman sitting in the chair next to her hospital bed completely forgotten. "Come here", she patted the blanket covering the bed on her left side with her good arm.

The woman turned to see who had entered the room, and furthermore, who had made Callie smile immediately. She had spent a lot of time with the little girl and she had always been down, crying or sobbing. "And who are you, little Miss?"

"Arizona... Arizona Robbins", the blonde answered, a big smile on her face and showing her dimples. Politely holding out her hand for the woman to take it – her father would have been proud of her – her smile got even wider.

"Nice to meet you. I assume you are a friend of Calliope?" She took the girl's hand and then watched as the blonde hopped onto the bed next to Callie.

Both girls nodded. "Yes ma'am. Is something wrong with Calliope?"

"Nothing is wrong", the woman answered and shook her head. "I think we're done here anyway. I will be here sometime this week, Calliope, to tell you the next steps. You'll get discharged by the end of the week, so we need to find a place where you can stay then."

Callie only nodded in reply and tried not to cry again. It was a lot to take in and every day it seemed to become more and more.

"Bye, Arizona", she said as she bent down to take the little girl's hand again. Both girls watched as the woman left them alone and closed the door on her way out.

"Who was that?", Arizona asked as she faced her new friend. A grin crept up on her lips as she saw that both their legs were dangling back and forth over the edge of the bed.

"That was Miss Miller", Callie explained. "The woman who was here two days ago. She's the one who will take me to an orphanage or to a new family where I can live. She hopes, she finds a family for me really soon. She said that I have to decide if I want a funeral for my parents or not." Tears started to spill from her eyes again as the word 'funeral' left her mouth. "She said that there's", she sobbed, "a possibility that she'll find a... a family for me. Because now that my family is... dead... I... I inherit everything and everything is a... a lot", she sniffed. A part of her didn't get the meaning of the words. While she had always known that her family had had a lot of money, she didn't understand why it would matter that she would inherit all of it if she would be staying with another family anyway.

Arizona scooted closer to the little brunette and put her arms around the Latina, just as she saw her daddy doing it when her mother was crying. Or when she was crying. She only had to attend to one funeral some time last year and she didn't like it. Everybody had been so sad. Many people were crying, like her grandma and her mother. All she had wanted to do was to make them feel better. But everything she had tried hadn't worked. So, no, funerals were not her favorite topic, so she chose to talk about the other thing. "A family sounds better than the orphanage. Maybe you'll even get a new brother or sister. Or you'll move somewhere else and meet new people", Arizona said. She loved meeting new people. Curiosity was such a big part of her, that's why she had been walking down the halls of the hospital the day she and Calliope met.

"I don't know. I don't want to move. I don't want a new family. I just want my parents back", Callie cried. "I don't want another mommy."

"Maybe you'll move somewhere to my neighborhood. We could play and stay friends?", Arizona offered, trying her best to smile at her new friend.

"I would like that", Callie said, the sadness still evident in her voice as she reached out for Mr. Turtles.

"Did he keep you good company?", the blonde asked. Mr. Turtles knew all her secrets and dreams.

"He did." In fact, it was the first night she slept through without having nightmares or reliving the car crash. "He kept the bad dreams away." That night, she hadn't seen her parents and sister still strapped to their seats while she was lying on the street, hearing herself crying and screaming in fear. "Thank you."

"You're welcome", Arizona smiled. "If you want, you can keep him."

"But, you said you wanted to have him back when your mom leaves the hospital", Callie said confused.

"I know. But mommy comes home tomorrow and you need him more right now. So, it's yours. If you want it. If not, he can come home with mommy too. I know he likes my room", Arizona grinned.

Callie's brown eyes went wide as she gasped. "Really?"

"Sure", the curly blonde beamed. "Daddy says a present is a present and you can't take it back unless the other one doesn't want it."

"I want it", she clutched the stuffed toy tight to her body. "But only if you really don't need him. I don't want to take him away from you."

"No, it's okay. I still have baby turtle and Tigger."

"You have Tigger?"

Arizona nodded eagerly. She loved her stuffed Tigger. Not as much as Mr. Turtle, but he was a good replacement whenever the stuffed green turtle was not somewhere close. And now that she had given her precious turtle to Callie, Tigger would be the first choice.

"I had a Tigger too. But Aria threw him into the ocean last summer. I was so mad at her. And now, I wish she'd come back and we could go home."

The smile left the blonde's face. Seeing her new friend unhappy was not one of her favorite things. She liked it better when Callie was smiling too.

Still sniffling, Callie looked into her friend's blue eyes and asked, "Can we... can we maybe go see Timmy later? He's super cute."

"He's my brother. He has to be cute", Arizona said, the dimples resurfacing into her cheeks. "What do you want to do until then?"

"Maybe play a game?" she offered. "I like Memory. I know they have one in the playroom."

"I love that game! I am so good at it!", Arizona exclaimed and clapped her hands in delight.

"Me too! I always beat Aria and my mother. Daddy is... was too smart for me. But he said I got that from him. So when I'm grown up, I'll be smart too."

Looking up to her friend and giving Callie a toothy grin, Arizona said, "I bet you are already smart."


	4. Destiny Part 4

AN: I'm late and I know and I am sorry. I forgot to post it... sorry! But hey, you also got an update on TIAM2 ;)

* * *

"Mommy, daddy, can we see Timmy again?", Arizona asked as they entered her mom's patient room after an hour or maybe more of quite even battles of Memory. Every time Callie has had a run, Arizona distracted her by making funny faces or telling her very convincingly that her chosen card was the wrong one. And when it was Arizona's turn and Callie got over being stunned by the blonde's fast moves, she just looked at her, grinning widely and playing with Mr. Turtle's fins in front of the girl's face.

"Of course, Dimples. Come in", Daniel answered for his wife. "Hello Calliope."

"Hello, Sir", the little Latina said, reaching out her little hand to shake his, just as her father taught her to.

"My, Daniel. Isn't she polite?" Barbara noticed the change in the little Latina's behavior. She seemed less scared, less sad and in a way, she seemed to warm up to them.

He nodded. "Indeed. Your parents raised you well."

"Thank you, Sir. Daddy always said, it's important to be polite, especially when adults are in the room."

"Your father was a very wise man, Calliope."

Seeing the little angel's face nodding, but turning sad right that instant, he picked her up first and put her down on his wife's bed. "Do you want to hold him again?"

"Can I?"

"Since you did a very good job yesterday, I don't see a reason why you could not hold him again today." Barbara handed the baby over to her husband and he placed his little boy into Callie's open arms. "He likes you."

"How do you know?", the Latina asked curious. She didn't dare to move when she was holding him, too scared of letting him drop or that she would hurt him, because she had only one good hand.

"He doesn't cry", Daniel simply stated.

"But he doesn't cry when he's in your arms as well."

"Because we are his family", Arizona answered. "He cries a lot when the doctors hold him", she giggled. "Because they are not family."

Brown eyes went wide in surprise. "He thinks I am family?"

"Maybe he does. Maybe your just a natural with children", Barbara said, bringing a smile to the faces of both little girls. Yet, what she noticed even more was her daughter and how she kept smiling at her new friend and how happy she was. She was happy almost every day. But this, this was something different. Though she knew her daughter made friends pretty easily, she saw the strong bond the girls shared, albeit they barely knew each other. "Calliope, what do you think of visiting us and Arizona once we are home?"

"Uhm... I don't know if that is possible." And then the sadness was back. She would love to go to her new friend's home but she had absolutely no idea where Miss Miller would take her.

"Mommy, there's a woman. Miss-" The forehead of the little blonde furrowed as she tried to remember the woman's name.

"Miller", Callie helped.

"Yeah! That's the one! Miss Miller is picking her up in a few days, bringing her somewhere. They don't know where to right now. But... what if Calliope has to move to another country or something?"

"Dimples, that's not how it works", Daniel chuckled. "They won't just send her away like she's not allowed to live here anymore."

"But maybe another city", Barb chimed in.

Her husband nodded. "That's a possibility. But, do you want to move?"

"No", the little brunette said, shaking her head.

"You should tell her that. I am sure, they will try to not do anymore harm to you than what's already happened.

"Daddy?"

"What is it, Dimples?"

"They asked Calliope about a funeral for her family. It's like the one we had for mommy's aunt Rose, isn't it?"

Barbara and Daniel needed a moment to catch up. Their daughter's brain was amazing when it came to memories and things she's seen in her very short life. Often, they wondered how their girl was able to remember that much. But then again, she was so curious about everything and saw things in a way with her sparkling blue eyes that adults didn't pay attention to anymore.

"It is", Barbara said eventually, still slightly taken by that question.

Daniel sensed the uneasiness of the girl in front of him, pulled the chair closer and sat down. "You've been to a funeral before?"

Callie shook her head. She only had her parents and her sister before, there was no other family member left and her parents didn't force her to go to any funeral they'd attended over the few years. She didn't even get to meet her grandparents, they had died before she was born. So, up until a few days ago, they were a family of four members. And now she was the only one left. "No, Sir."

"Do you want a funeral for your family?"

"I don't know, Sir", she said honestly. Though she'd never been to one, she knew what happened at funerals. "I don't want to see my parents and sister getting buried."

Barbara sat up on her bed and placed a hand on the girl's cheek to wipe away the tears that tickled down the little tanned cheek. "If you want a funeral, you should see it as a celebration of their lives, sweetie."

"But there are no lives to celebrate anymore", Callie burst into tears. Daniel scooped up his now sleeping son and put him down in the small hospital crib, letting his wife handle the situation and taking the girl in her arms.

"Shshsh", Barbara soothed, brushing through thick brunette curls and rubbing soft circles on Callie's back with the other hand as she watched with proud as her daughter's smaller hand joined hers. "It's okay." Blue eyes were locked on another set of blue's as she met her husband's gaze. The one hand of the little Latina that was not in a cast, held on tight to her cardigan as loud sobs filled the room. "Daniel... "

He knew what his wife was thinking. They'd talked about it before. They both loved the little girl and he felt sorry for her as well. But the chance was next to nothing, that they'd get custody or anything else with his job. What if they'd had to move in a few months again? What he saw was breaking his heart just as much as his wife's, but there was nothing he could do.

"I want a funeral", Callie mumbled into the crook of the neck of Barbara Robbins.

"What did you say, sweetie?"

"I think I want a funeral", she sniffed.

"Okay", Daniel answered. "Then you should tell that to Miss Miller, I assume she's the one who asked you?"

Callie nodded. "But I don't want to go there alone", she said, her voice thick with fear.

"I can go with you", Arizona said immediately.

"We all can", Barbara reassured her and Daniel nodded. At least, they could do that.

"Thank you", Callie said, a small smile on her lips wiping away the last tears with the back of her hand. She was grateful she'd met Arizona and she was thankful for her parents. They somehow gave her the feeling of being protected and not completely alone anymore. "I think I have to get back to my room. They serve dinner soon and I think I am a little hungry."

"Can I go with Calliope?", Arizona asked.

"Of course, Dimples. But don't stay too long."

"Thank you, Sir", Callie said as she hopped of the bed. "Thank you, Mrs. Robbins."

"You are very welcome, young lady."

"I'll be back soon, promised", Arizona smiled, hopping of the bed as well and dragging Callie out of the room by her arm.

"She'll always be a handful", Barbara said laughing.

"She will. But to be honest, she's everything we've ever wished for. She's so caring, maybe a little too smart for her own good, but if it stays that way, I don't think we have to worry about her being a good person."

"I think you're right", Barbara sighed. "It would be great if they can stay friends. Calliope needs her. And I am sure, that our little bundle of energy can learn a lot from her."

"Let's hope everything falls into place", Daniel agreed, watching his son sleep for a short moment before he smiled at his wife.

xxx

"Arizona", Daniel started when he thought his little girl was unnaturally quiet as he was half way through the chosen bedtime story for this night. "Something's bothering you."

"I'm just thinking about Calliope."

"What are you thinking?", he asked.

"What if she has to move? She said, she does not want to move, but what if she has to? What if that woman finds a family for her and she does not like them?"

"Dimples", he sighed, laying to book aside on the bed and tugging his daughter closer to him until she was sitting on his lap, her little arms around his torso and her head resting against his chest. "I am sure Miss Miller will take good care of her."

"But she is not her mom. She is not there to read her bedtime stories. And everything she told her was confusing for Calliope. She said, that she didn't understand everything."

"Your friend seems pretty smart to me, so I think she's going to tell them if something is wrong. And then Miss Miller or another one will do the right thing."

"I gave her Mr. Turtles", Arizona mumbled.

"I know Dimples. And that was very very nice of you", he said, stroking the blonde locks.

"I told her, she can keep him."

The man looked completely stunned at his little daughter. Only one year ago, Mr. Turtles would have gone with Arizona everywhere she went, if he and his wife hadn't put their feet down on that one. And now, his girl just gave her favorite toy away?

"She needs him more, daddy. Please don't be mad", she pleaded as her father didn't say anything, thinking she'd done something wrong.

"I am not mad, Dimples", he answered honestly. "You're such a good friend to her."

"What if she really has to move?"

"Then we're going from there", Daniel said. He saw the same thing his wife had seen. They sensed their daughter really liked the little Latina and it was more than obvious that the feeling was mutual. And still, they couldn't do anything to ease the situation.

"Can I go see Calliope tomorrow again? When we get to the hospital? I know we're only going in to get mommy home, but... "

"We can go in a little earlier, if you want to", he said, feeling his daughter nodding against his chest. "But now it's time for you to go to sleep okay?"

"Okay, daddy", the blonde girl said, climbing into her bed again. "Can we leave the little light on? The one with the butterflies?"

"Of course, Dimples", Daniel said as he put the blanket over his daughter. "Do you need anything else?"

"No. I love you, daddy."

"I love you too", he said, placing a soft kiss on his little girl's forehead and switching on the nightlight.

"Daddy?", Arizona asked

"Yes, Dimples?"

"Can we still help Calliope?", she asked sleepily, Tigger already in her right hand.

"Help her?"

"The funeral", she yawned.

"Of course, Dimples."

"Okay, daddy. Love you", she got out before falling asleep.

Smiling, Daniel Robbins left his daughter's room. Tomorrow, they'd have a second child – a baby to take care of and he was sure they'd need some time adjusting to the new situation at home. But then again, they managed it the first time when Arizona was born. And she was not too young now, so she'd understand that her little brother needed her mom a little more now.


	5. Destiny Part 5

"That's her room, daddy", Arizona tucked on her daddy's arm as they finally arrived at the hospital the next day. It was close to 11am and she was eager to see her friend again.

"Arizona, you know better than to drag your father through the hospital."

"But I don't have that much time today", she said, about to burst into Callie's patient room again.

"Arizona Robbins."

"Oops", she giggled, raising her tiny hand to knock on the hardwood door first.

"Come in?", a voice sounded that was clearly not Callie's.

But before Daniel could stop his daughter, she pushed the handle and was through the door, climbing on the bed next to Callie, ignoring the other woman in the room at first.

"Arizona", he shook his head at the little ball of energy.

"Oh, hello Ms. Miller", Arizona greeted the strangewoman.

"Hello, Arizona", she smiled.

"I am sorry. My daughter obviously forgot her manners", Daniel apologized.

"No need to be sorry. It's good to see Calliope smile", she said as she stood up.

"I am Colonel Daniel Robbins, Arizona's father", he said, reaching out his hand for her.

"Miller. I am working on Calliope's case. She told me she talked to you about having a funeral for her family, so I assume you know what happened?"

Daniel nodded. "It's a sad story."

"It is. But unfortunately, it's something that happens actually more often than we think it does. This one though, it's harder for me. My daughter is six years old too and she reminds me a lot of her. At that age, they understand so many things already, but things like custody and orphanage? Or what it means to find a foster family? I work with children almost every day, but it's still hard to explain such things to them. And there's still the big 'if'. If I find a family for her, will she like them? Will they be good to her? Of course we make sure we do not send any child to alcoholics or drug addicts. But even though we make unannounced visits before we grand custody to any of them, people hide a lot."

"I understand that, Ms. Miller. I'll be glad to help where I can."

"Thank you, Colonel Robbins."

"No need to thank me for that. My wife and I, we already fell in love with the little girl. She's absolutely adorable."

"She is", Ms. Miller glanced over to the two little girls interacting and utterly engaged in their conversation. The wide smile on Callie's lips, the gleam in her eyes. It was absolutely beautiful. "I've met your little girl yesterday and it was as if the sun finally came out. Calliope's barely talking to me. She listens and nods and when I ask her a question, she answers. But when your daughter came in yesterday, her mood changed in an instant. It's good to see her happy – or as happy as she can be with everything that happened."

"Yeah, it happens a lot with Arizona", he chuckled. "Must be some kind of magic."

"I can already tell", Ms. Miller smiled. "Calliope", she turned to the two girls. "I'll come back tomorrow, would you want to meet the Weadley's then?"

"You found a family?", Daniel asked, partly relieved and partly sad. He did some thinking last night and was just about to tell his wife that they maybe should try and talk to Ms. Miller about taking Calliope home with them.

"I did. It was on a very short notice, to be honest. The Weadley's just got the news that they were allowed to be a foster family. And they don't want a baby or toddler. They think a five to seven year old would be perfect for them."

"That's good to hear", he sighed. "May I ask where they live? Arizona really likes Calliope and maybe there's a chance they can stay friends?"

"I'm sorry, I am not allowed to give that information."

"I understand."

"Calliope, can you answer my question?"

"I guess", the little Latina said, shrugging her shoulders. "Do they expect me to meet them?", she asked, leaving the grownups in the room dumbfounded for a moment.

"They don't expect anything. And even if they do, I don't", Ms. Miller smiled.

"I guess it's okay. You said they are nice."

"They are."

"Okay."

"I'll see you tomorrow, young lady", she said as she brushed a few strands out of the little girl's face. "It was nice seeing you again, Arizona. And nice to meet you, too, Colonel Robbins."

"Likewise", he said, watching Ms. Miller turn towards the door. "One last thing though, the Weadleys don't live that far from the hospital." And with that, she left.

"Girls", Daniel tried to get the attention of his daughter and Calliope. "What do you say, you come to mommy's room in a bit and we'll have some ice cream together in the cafeteria?"

"Yes!", Arizona exclaimed in excitement.

"Me too?", Callie asked in disbelief.

"You too", he smiled, looking at the little girl whose brown eyes were shining so bright with hope and joy, that even if he had intended to say no, there was no chance he could have done it. Leaving the girls to entertain themselves, he made his way to pick up his wife and son.

XXX

"So, she found a family?", Barbara asked as they were sitting around the small table in the cafeteria. Both girls a crone with chocolate ice intheir hand.

Callie nodded.

"You do not look happy."

"I don't know them. What if they don't like me? What if I don't like them?", she asked.

"Nothing is set in stone."

"It is not?", Callie asked, looking up at the tall man.

"It isn't", he reassured her. "You'll get to know them first when they'll come in tomorrow. You can't expect that you'll love them the very first moment you'll meet. And no one says that you have to. But it's a chance for you."

"I don't want a new mommy", Callie said. It was her biggest fear. That the new family would try to make her forget her family and make her call them mom and dad.

"I am sure they don't want to replace your family. They want to help you and give you a home."

"I want to go home."

Sensing, that the little girl meant her old home, Daniel and Barbara sighed in unison.

"Maybe I can come visit you", Arizona said, still not liking to see Callie so sad. "Or you can come visit me. That would be awesome! I have lots of toys and you can bring Mr. Turtles and we can play with him and the baby turtle. I have a tree house and we can go up there when mommy or daddy are in the backyard too", the blonde rambled.

"But I don't know where they live."

"Not too far away, sweetie", Barbara reassured her and placed her hand on the little girl's arm. After Daniel told her everything, beginning with the thoughts that kept him awake last night and ending with the talk he had with Ms. Miller, she hoped that 'not too far' was not in a complete different direction from their home.

Both girl's faces lit up at that, the smile on Callie's face almost as big as the one on Arizona's, only without the dimples.

"Will I have to change school?", Callie asked.

"We don't know that yet. That depends on where they live exactly."

"Aria and I went to a private catholic school. I didn't like it there", she smiled.

"So it would be good if you have to change school?"

The girl nodded.

"Maybe you can go to my school? I will go to school next year too."

"We can't say that, Dimples. It depends on where the Weadleys or whoever will have the pleasure to have you as a part of their family, live."

"Juan had to drive Aria and me to school every day. It was an hour away from hour house."

"Ju-Ju...who?", Arizona asked, having a hard time pronouncing the Spanish name.

"Driver", Callie stated and giggled a little at the blonde's attempt. To her, it was normal to have a driver, a housemaid, even a cook. She was too young to really understand that not every child got to grow up with the perks of a wealthy family.

"Well", Daniel spoke, "I am sure you figure something out. Or the Weadleys will. You just have to be honest with them and Ms. Miller, just as you're honest with us, okay?"

Callie nodded again. "Will you still be there the day of the funeral?", she asked. She thought, that maybe now that Ms. Miller found a family for her, the Robbins would not go with her.

"Of course we will, honey. And you can call us if you need anything. You still have the card Arizona gave you yesterday?", Barbara asked.

"I do", Callie answered, remembering the card she put into the drawer after Arizona left her room. It had three phone numbers on it. One said 'home' one said 'Daniel's cell' and the last one was 'Barbara's cell'. "Can I call you tomorrow after the Weadleys' have left?"

"I have a better idea. We'll come around tomorrow, at least Arizona and I and then you can tell us everything", Daniel offered, knowing his daughter would be sad too not seeing her new friend.

"You would do that?", Callie asked.

"We would."

Callie jumped of the chair and ran over to the Colonel who held his arms wide open for the girl. If anyone would have told him only a week ago, that he would love a little Latina just as much as his own children, he'd probably told them to get lost. But now it happened and both, he and his wife, were mesmerized by the girl.

"Thank you, Sir", she smiled.

"You are very welcome."

XXX

A faint knocking on her door, startled the little Latina out of her thoughts about all the what ifs. She dried her eyes and wiped the last tears away before she answered with a weak 'come in', focusing her eyes on the ground, thinking it was some nurse or a doctor and willing to stop the next tears from rolling down her cheeks.

"Calliope? What happened?"Arizona asked, letting go of her father's hand and ran over to the hospital bed, seeing the tight grip her friend had on one of Mr. Turtle's fins.

"Miss", she sobbed. "Miss Miller and the Weadleys' were here", Callie got out, still trying not to cry.

"Where they not nice?"

Callie looked at her blonde friend, seeing that her curly hair was made into two braids today. Her mother had braided her hair as well, saying every time it was the only way to tame her wild dark locks. "They...they said", and then it happened. Tears spilled from her eyes and she couldn't speak anymore, at least no understandable words.

Daniel walked up to the hospital bed and pulled the little crying girl into his arms. A tiny hand instantly grabbed a hold of his shirt, the stuffed toy falling on to the bed in the process.

"Shsh, it's okay. It's okay", he said, glancing over the brunette's head to his own daughter who was sitting on the bed as well now. The fabric of his shirt got wet where Callie's tears dropped down on it.

"Daddy?" Arizona looked at him questioningly and a little scared because Callie was crying so hard and breathing so heavily, she hadn't seen her like that the days before.

"Arizona, can you go and look for a nurse?", he whispered, holding the girl in his strong arms and trying to calm her down.

"Uh huh", she nodded and hopped of the bed again, running out of the room.

"Calliope?" he asked as his daughter left the room, but he got no response other than more sobs and strangled breaths. As he tried to move just an inch, she tightened her grasp even more. "I'm not letting go", he tried to soothe her with his words and rubbed his hand in soft circles over her small back.

"Daddy, I got a nurse" Arizona came racing back into the room, a nurse following right after.

"Sir?"

"I don't know what happened. I can't get her to calm down."

"Is she in pain?"

Daniel shook his head. "I don't think so."

"Wait, isn't that the little Torres girl?"

"She is!", Arizona exclaimed as her father didn't know what to say to that. They never asked about her last name. Leaving it to his little girl to remember that.

"I'll go and get something. It's not the first time she is like this."

"It's not?"

"No. She had nightmares ever since she was brought in. We gave her something to calm down, something really light, so she'd get back to sleep. It's the first time this happens while she is awake, though."

Daniel was not a fan of giving her some medicine to calm her down, but seeing the little Latina in his arms was still so tense and sensing that neither her sobs nor her tears were going to subside anytime soon, he nodded. Maybe it was better this way.

"Just two minutes", she said, leaving the room again.

"Daddy, what is wrong with her?", Arizona asked, still terrified to see Callie like this.

"It's going to be okay, Dimples. The nurse will give her some medicine and we'll stay right here and wait until she calms down, okay?", he answered, rocking back and forth with the girl in his arms. "Can you get the cell phone out of my jacket?"

Arizona nodded, but didn't say anything.

"No", Daniel said as she was going to hand the phone to him. "You remember when I taught you how to make an emergency call with that one?"

Arizona nodded again.

"Do you remember how to call mommy?"

"I do."

"Can you call mommy and hold the cell to my ear?"

The blonde five year old focused her blue eyes on the phone in her hand and pushed a button. "First, unlock the phone", she mumbled. "Press the button in the middle and then number one. When you see your mommy's name, press the green button to call your mom", she repeated her father's words. "It worked!"

"Good! Now, come here and hold the cell to my ear."

"Okay, daddy", Arizona said, climbing on the bed and doing as she was told.

"Daniel, you don't have to call again. We're still doing great."

"Barb, I'm not calling to check up on you. It's", he was interrupted by another heavy sob from Callie and her loud scream for her mommy.

"Was that Calliope?"

"Yes", he sighed.

"Oh my God, what happened? Is she hurt?"

"I don't know, hon. She was already crying when we got here, but this is more than just crying. I can't soothe her. The nurse will give her something. I'm just calling to tell you that we might stay a little longer than actually planned", he explained in his usual calm voice.

"That poor girl. Make sure she's okay before you leave her."

"I will, I promise, hon", he answered, wondering what took the nurse so long.

Just then, another nurse came in after knocking lightly on the door frame. "I am sorry, I was sent in here by a fellow nurse. She told me to give the girl some sedation?"

Daniel nodded and told Arizona to hang up the phone. Callie had calmed down a little, but it was barely enough to notice and he was sure it was pure exhaustion taking over the little body in his arms. He opted with himself whether he should tell her or not. "She's calming down a little", he said, making his decision eventually.

"I'll still give her something. It's very light and it will help her come down some more."

Colonel Robbins nodded again, feeling his daughter behind his back digging her little fingernails through his shirt into his skin. He knew, she was scared of syringes ever since the first vaccination she could remember. "It's okay Dimples. It'll help her."

The nurse left the room again and he waited. Arizona sat down next to her father, her little legs dangling down from the edge of the bed, watching Calliope with tears in her own eyes now.

"It's working", he said softly after a few minutes.

"How do you know?", Arizona asked, looking up at him, her blue eyes still glistening with tears.

"See", he nodded to his own shoulder where a little tanned hand loosened the grip. "Her muscles are relaxing."

The blonde looked up and saw the hand slowly sliding down her daddy's arm. "Is she okay?"

"No. But she will be."

"And we stay?", she asked.

"We stay", he reassured her.

XXX

"Calliope, sweetie", Daniel smiled as the little girl opened her beautiful big brown eyes after about an hour and a half after the sedation kicked in. Her eyes were still puffy and a little red because she'd cried so hard. But what worried him the most, was the fear he could see in her eyes.

"Where is my mommy?", she asked.

Daniel sighed. That was exactly what he thought would happen. Even in her sleep, she called out for her mom and dad, sometimes she talked about Aria and Arizona told him, that was the name of her sister. But before he could answer her question, her eyes went wide as realization hit her and tears started to make their way down her cheeks again.

"They are dead", she whispered.

Daniel nodded. "Yes, sweetie, they are."

"I know", she sobbed.

"Calliope", Arizona smiled a small smile. She was sitting at the end of Callie's bed the whole time, while her friend had been asleep, asking her father a bunch of questions to still her thirst for knowledge. Now that she was awake, she climbed up to sit next to her. "Are you better?"

The little brunette answered with a light nod and sat up as well. She saw Arizona's hand reaching out towards her and felt her tuck a few strands of brown hair behind her small ear. "You have braids", she stated.

"I do. Mommy made them. Daddy doesn't know how to make them", she grinned.

"Calliope, did something happen?"

"No. Yes. I don't know?" Big, sad brown eyes looked up at him. "The Weadleys'", she started and instantly sobbed again. "Ms. Miller left the room for a moment and they said they were my new mommy and daddy."

Closing his eyes for a moment, Daniel let the words sink in and could only try to imagine what it must have felt like for the little girl. After all, her parents and sister were not even buried and more important, they were gone for barely a week now. "I am sure they didn't mean it like that. Maybe they were just happy to meet you", he tried to reason.

"They said they already have a room for me and told me how they will try to get my things from my home. I am not sure I want that."

"Did you like them?"

"No", she answered and shook her head. The woman was nice, but she was frightened by the man.

"Did you tell that to Ms. Miller?"

"Yes, Sir." Her eyes started to look around, searching for the turtle Arizona gave her.

"Here", the blonde said, sensing what Callie was looking for and handing Mr. Turtles over to her friend. "He almost fell of the bed, but I catched him. He doesn't like to be on the floor."

A small smile spread over Callie's face as she looked at Arizona's smiling face in front of her. Blue eyes filled with joy locking with brown ones that slowly started to sparkle again.

"He scared me."

"Who scared you?", the little blonde asked.

"Mr. Weadleys. He has a mean look in his eyes."

That statement made Daniel smile a little. It was just the way kids saw the world. For adults, people who did bad things, were bad. For kids, people only needed to have a not so nice face.

"He has a scar right here", she said, touching the place over her own eyebrow with the forefinger of her left hand, then moving it to her upper lip. "And another one here."

"Did he scare you because of his scars?", Daniel asked softly.

"No, Sir. He said they were from a car accident a few years ago." And that was already enough for Callie to not like the Weadleys'. "But his eyes were evil. And his forehead was furrowed all the time. And he was not smiling."

"And Mrs. Weadleys?", Arizona asked.

"She was okay, I guess. She was talking a lot and tried to pick me up."

"And you didn't want that?"

"No, Sir. I don't know them."

"But daddy picked you up to", Arizona said, not quite understanding the difference.

"He's your father", Callie said simply. It was, again, just the way things were when you are a child. She liked Arizona, so she liked her parents and they let her hold the baby boy. And they had nice eyes. Not as blue as Arizona's, but still very warm. "They asked me what color I want for the walls of my room. Do I have to go with them?" She asked, looking back up to Colonel Robbins.

"No, sweetie. If you don't want to, I am sure Ms. Miller won't make you go with them. But maybe she would want you to give them a second chance."

"Okay." She waited for a moment. "Ms. Miller said, she could arrange the funeral for next Tuesday. Do you have time on Tuesday? I told her to wait. I wanted to ask first if you have time. If not-"

"We have time", Daniel reassured her, stroking his hand over the little head covered with brown hair. He knew he had an appointment with the dentist that day, but that was one thing he would cancel in a heartbeat for almost everything. He has never been a fan of dentists. He made sure to brush his teeth at least two times a day and that should be enough. And this right here was more important than any dentist in the world. "And we can ask Ms. Miller if it would be okay if you'd come to our house for a few hours", he suggested, trying to distract the girls from the not so pleasant topic. "Barbara makes the best apple pie in the whole world."

"Yes!", Arizona exclaimed. "Mommy's apple pie is the bestest!"

Finally, Callie had a big smile on her face. "I would love that."

"Can we have apple pie when we get home, daddy?"

"No, Dimples. Not today. Let's save it for Tuesday, okay?"

"Okay."

"Oh, I see someone's awake", Ms. Miller's voice filled the room. "The nurse told me what happened. I just wanted to make sure everything is okay."

"She's better now. But the Weadleys' have scared her."

"Is that right, Calliope?", she asked, walking towards the bed.

Nodding, the little Latina looked away from Ms. Miller. She was not afraid of her, but she didn't want to disappoint her.

"It's okay, you know. It's okay to not like them."

"Really?", Callie asked, looking up at the woman.

"Really. If you don't like them, I'll try to find another family. You do not have to stay with a family you don't like." She knew it was not going to be easy. And sometimes, kids changed their minds, going from liking a family to not wanting to live with them at all in a few days. But as long as there were no documents signed, she still had the possibility and goal to find the perfect, or at least the best, family.

"Calliope just told us about the funeral on Tuesday. Would it be okay if we'd take her with us for a few hours? It would be good for her."

"You have to give me your address and you must fill in and submit an application, it's the formal way we handle requests like that. I will sign the paper and then it will be okay."

"Really?", both girls asked in unison, not getting any of the words except that it would indeed be okay that Callie was going home with the Robbins', even if it was for just a few hours.

"Yes."

"I will show you my room and we can play in the backyard and you can hold Timmy again and...and", the blonde said in excitement, almost stumbling over her own words.

"Thank you", Callie smiled, first looking at Ms. Miller and then at Colonel Robbins.

"I have to go, I am sorry about what happened with the Weadleys. I guess they were just a little too eager, too happy. And I thank you for being here", she said to Daniel. "Just bring the papers to the funeral, that's enough for me."

"Thank you", he answered, shaking the woman's hand.

"Bye Arizona, bye Calliope."

"Bye, Ms. Miller" both girls said, not watching her leave the room. They were chatting away about all the things they would do. From running around in the backyard to playing hide and seek in the whole house.

Daniel leaned back, content to just watch the girls and happy to see the little Latina laughing after what she had to go through before.


	6. Destiny Part 6

AN: I update today because I won't be able to do so tomorrow. Just so you know. Enjoy.

AN: Also, calling me names just because I take my time to go over the chapters again and make sure everything is as it shout be (such as spaces between two different words), won't get you anywhere. Save your (and any author's) time for something better. Thank you.

* * *

As the Robbins family exited their car the next Tuesday, they stepped out into a chilly November weather. Clouds hid the blue sky and it looked like it was one dark gray cover of clouds. But at least it wasn't raining anymore.

Arizona immediately spotted her new friend standing under a big old willow tree with Ms. Miller, both wearing similar black coats, as well as she and her family did. Except for Timmy, who was most definitely still clad in his Superman onsie at her grandparents' house. They were supposed to bring him home later.

Blonde braids swung around her little doll face as she turned to her parents. "Can we go now?"

"You ready?", Daniel asked his wife. Getting a nod in response, they started to walk over.

"Hello, Calliope!", Arizona exclaimed, making the little Latina spin around on her heels.

"Arizona", she smiled. "You're here", she said as her deep brown orbs saw Daniel and Barbara Robbins standing right behind Arizona and that meant a lot to her.

"Of course we are, sweetie. We promised to be here", Barbara said. "Don't you look plain right adorable? And you have a new cast", she added as she noticed the different color peeking out under her coat.

"The doctor made a picture of my arm yesterday where they could see the bone. I got a new cast after that."

"It's green!", the little blonde beamed.

"Turtle-green", Callie stated, making Arizona smile even more.

"Hello, you must be Misses Robbins. I am Ms. Miller", the other woman greeted Barbara. "It's nice to finally meet you. Calliope does not stop talking about you."

"The same goes for our daughter. If we wouldn't stop her, she'd spent every hour of the day with Calliope at the hospital", Daniel laughed, putting a grin on both girls' faces.

"We should head inside. It's almost time", Ms. Miller suggested, reminding them exactly why they were all here today.

The Robbins' nodded and started to walk towards a small beautiful building next to the big church with Arizona's little hand still secure in one of her mother's. But, being the smart and observantly little girl she was, she felt something was wrong. She could hear the sound of three pair of feet plus her own smaller, faster steps. Looking up, she could see her parents and Ms. Miller only a few inches ahead of them. While she was still walking alongside her mother, she turned around to see Calliope still standing on the same spot. "Calliope?"

The little Latina stood dead in her tracks. She just could not get her feet to walk, her whole body was frozen.

Miss Miller was just about to make a move to go and get the little girl, as Daniel stopped her with a small cough. "May I?"

"Sure" she nodded, knowing that over the past few days the Robbins family somehow bonded with Calliope. It didn't matter if it was just Arizona who she was talking to or about, or if it was one of her parents. The little Latina trusted them.

As Daniel was mere inches away from the little girl, he bent down to not scare her anymore and gingerly lifted the small head with his hand. He instantly noticed the tears in the big brown eyes and the wet tracks they'd left on her tanned cheeks. "Come here, Calliope", he said, picking her up. "It's okay to cry. It's okay to be scared. And you don't have to go in there if you don't want to", he whispered, kissing her temple.

"I want to", she answered as she wrapped her little arms around his neck. "I need to."

He walked them back to his waiting family and Ms. Miller. "We're ready."

With Callie still in his arms, they made their way inside and sat down in the front row of the little chapel.

"It looks really beautiful, Ms. Miller", Barbara complemented as she sat down next to her daughter who was sitting beside the little brunette.

"It's not my work. Calliope chose the flowers and the coffins."

"You did?", Daniel asked, trying to take the girl's mind of the matter. He still kept his arm protectively around her small frame, though.

Looking up to him, dark brown eyes found a slightly smiling Colonel Robbins. "I did", she said nodding.

"It looks perfect."

There was a small piano and an old lady was putting some music sheets on it. On the left side were two large black coffins and a dark brown and visibly smaller one stood in the middle of the others. Each one had three roses on the lid. Two white roses and one red rose were on the larger coffins. The smaller coffin had three pink roses though, as a symbol that this coffin hold the product of love of the other two.  
Red rose petals were scattered on each white satin sheet that was draped over the bottom of every coffin.

As Pater Hendriks made his way in front of them, he first took Callie's small hand, shook it while telling her how sorry he was. Then he greeted the whole Robbins family and Ms. Miller.

"We're here today, not to cry over those we've lost, but to celebrate the lives they had...", he began and Arizona took Callie's hand as she heard the sobs that were erupting from the girl's body.

Callie went stiff for a second, but then she relaxed as she remembered that it was Arizona. And suddenly, with Arizona on her right side and Daniel Robbins to her left, she felt safe.

xxx

"Mommy, can we have apple pie now?", Arizona asked after they made it to their home after the funeral.

"Arizona", Daniel scolded his daughter. "She's still out like a light", he said softly to his wife.

"It was a hard morning. Let her get some rest", she answered as her husband still had the sleeping six year old in his arms and she tried to get her out of her coat without waking her up.

"I honestly hadn't thought about the fact that she could be afraid of being in a car", he said, laying Callie down on the couch with her head on the cushion so Barbara could take off her little shoes and finally place a blanket over the small body.

"Neither did I. It's so normal for us to just drive everywhere. I can't imagine what it must have felt like for her and to be honest I don't want to."

"I am just glad you could get her to calm down. It breaks my heart to see her sad so many times."

"I think the fact that we buried her parents and sister today added a lot to her fear. When she was standing in front of that large hole in the ground, she was trembling. Her body was shaking so much and she was just staring down. I couldn't even wipe away the tears as fast as they were replaced with new ones."

"She's got a hard time ahead of her. But I believe, as soon as Ms. Miller finds a good family for her, it will get easier", Colonel Robbins really hoped that he was right.

"I just wish we could do something."

"I know you do, darling. Me too."

"And I know that we already have a beautiful daughter and a newborn in this house, but-" She didn't speak any further, just pressed her body in the welcoming embrace of her husband. They talked about it – a lot. Daniel even made a list of pros and cons, with the outcome that as much as they loved the little girl, it wasn't what was best for her. She deserved a family that was not forced to move ever two years. She now needed people who were there for her and only for her and that was both something, the Robbins couldn't guarantee.

"MOOOMMMYYY", sounded Arizona's voice as she came running down the stairs

"Arizona Robbins, we don't holler for attention in this house."

"Sorry", she mumbled. "I got baby turtle. Calliope said Mr. Turtles helps her sleep and she does not have him with her. I want to give her baby turtle for now." She put the little stuffed turtle down and as if Callie could feel it, her healthy left hand reached out for the toy and held it up to her chest as she curled herself into a ball. "See, told you!"

"Come on, Dimples. Let her sleep. We call grandma and grandpa to let them know we're back so they can bring Timmy over."

"Okay", the blonde girl said and looking back to her friend, she asked, "When will she wake up?"

"Oh honey, we don't know that. It was a tough morning for her."

"I just want to play with her in my room", Arizona pouted.

"I know, Dimples. Just give her some time, okay? I'm sure she'll be awake before you know it."

"You said that last year at Christmas Eve and it was not true", her pout got even bigger.

Daniel chuckled as he remembered his daughter past out at around 10am on the carpet in the living room with her new toys neatly lined up beside her, because she didn't sleep at all that night.

"Can I have a cookie? Pleeeeease", Arizona asked, batting her eyelashes at her parents.

"I think that would be okay, what do you say Daniel?"

"Yeah, I guess it's okay. Do you want some milk to it?", he asked the bundle of energy.

"Yes! Race!", she said as she sped off to the kitchen.

"You're getting soft, darling."

"What? No."

"Of course. Normally you don't let her run around in the house. Especially when she's only wearing socks."

"I just didn't want to wake Calliope", Daniel huffed.

"Of course you didn't, Daniel. Of course you didn't", she said laughing, knowing that between his own kids and the little Latina, her husband could not hold his stern demeanor.

xxx

The three Robbins were engaged in a funny game of Memory, and Arizona was again – like she did many times – just telling her father that he was playing unfair, as the sound of Callie's little feet could be heard.

"Where am I?", she asked, rubbing her barely open eyes.

Barbara stood up and went over to the little brunette. "You are at our house, sweetie."

"I was sleeping."

"You were."

"Daddy always said it's not polite to fall asleep at a house that is not your home when you are a guest in that house. I am sorry", she mumbled sleepily.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Calliope. You're going through a hard time and none of us expects anything from you, okay?" Seeing the little girl nod, she asked, "Do you want to have some apple pie now?"

Brown eyes shot up at the mention of apple pie and Barbara knew, her daughter's blue eyes did exactly the same. "Some milk to it?"

"If it is okay?", Callie asked, insecure of what would be okay. Her daddy told her to not be greedy. He taught her so many things but sometimes, she still didn't know what was right. Albeit he had always told her that he was very proud of her and that she behaved so well, since he was gone she questioned every move, every word, still wanting to be daddy's girl

"It is very much okay."

"Come here, Calliope. Sit down. Daddy and I are playing Memory, but we can start anew if you want to play with me", Arizona smiled as her mom stood up again and got some plates out of the cupboard for the pie.

"Who's winning?", she said curious as she placed the baby turtle on the breakfast table and climbed up on the slightly high chair.

"Daddy", Arizona grumbled. "But I won the game before and he is not playing fair", the blonde pouted.

"Just because grandpa always lets you win, Dimples, doesn't mean your dad's cheating", Barbara laughed, tousling through the blonde locks of her daughter. Though Arizona had patiently sat down to get her hair braid this morning, she'd pulled out the hair ties about half an hour ago.

"That one", Callie said as it was Arizona's turn again and she'd already turned one card to see the picture of a baby tiger with his mommy. She knew where the other picture was hidden, because she'd observed the game as Daniel turned card after card and the particular card was the one where he had to end his run.

"No. That one."

"No", Callie said back. "That one."

"You sure?", Arizona asked, not quite sure if she should trust her friend.

"Uh huu", the little Latina nodded eagerly.

Arizona turned the card and smiled. "Thank you", she smiled.

"Okay, girls. I think we should mix it up again so we can all play", Daniel suggested.

"And I think you should stop the game to eat the apple pie", Barbara announced just as the doorbell rang.

"Timmy!", Arizona beamed, jumped of the chair and ran to the front door.

"Arizona Robbins! You do not open the door!", Barbara yelled after her daughter, making Callie flinch at the sudden loudness. "I am so sorry, sweetie."

"I'll get that", Daniel raised to his feet and followed his daughter.

"That should be Arizona's grandparents with Timothy", Barbara said.

Callie didn't move. She was not scared of Mrs. Robbins. Sometimes, parents had to raise their voices. After all, she grew up with that on a weekly basis, because her sister had always been some kind of a troublemaker. Aria. Her sister. She missed her. So much.

"Calliope, what is it, sweetie?"

"I...", she sobbed.

Barbara knew instantly it had something to do with her family and the loss she had to live through right now.

"What do you say, we're switching milk with some hot chocolate?"

"I love hot chocolate", the little Latina grinned.

"Me too", Barbara admitted. "And Arizona as well."

"Look who we have here", Daniel said as he entered the kitchen with his baby boy in his arms and Arizona hot on his heels.

"Timmy", Callie smiled.

"Hey, little boy. Have you been good for you grandparents?"

"He's been an angel", an older woman said, who Callie assumed was Arizona's grandma. "And who is this young lady?"

Callie shifted off the chair and stood straight up. "Calliope Torres, ma'am."

"It is very nice to meet you, Calliope Torres. And what a beautiful dress you're wearing."

"Thank you. Ms. Miller and I bought it for my family's funeral", she answered, her shining brown eyes saddening. "Are you Arizona's abuela and abuelo?"

"If we'd only know what that means, honey."

"It means grandma and grandpa", Callie explains.

"Well then the answer is yes."

"Then it is very nice to meet you, too", Callie said making everybody in the kitchen laugh.

xxx

Callie sat quietly at the table, trying to eat her piece of apple pie and watched and listened to the Robbins family interact with each other and with Timmy. Arizona was telling her a bunch of things, smiling at her with her dimples out and everything. They were so in tune. When Timothy needed some attention he was passed on to one of the adults so everybody was able to eat some of the still warm apple pie. Everybody, except for Callie.

"Sweetie, are you okay?"

She nodded.

"You're not eating your pie", Daniel stated.

"Uhm..."

"Do you need some help?", Elisabeth Robbins, Arizona's grandma asked with a smile on her lips.

Again, the little Latina nodded. "I am sorry."

"Here, let me help you", Mrs. Robbins took the plate and put it down in front of her to cut the pie in some smaller pieces. Done with that, she placed it back in front of Callie. "There you go."

"Thank you", the brunette gave her a smile with her eyes sparkling so bright, they could easily lighten up your day. She instantly liked the grandparents. It seemed to her, every member of the Robbins family was nice. And somewhere deep inside her little body, she found herself wishing she could stay with them, even if it was just for a while. She didn't want to go back to the orphanage when Ms. Miller would come and pick her up. But she understood, that she had no other choice until she had a new family.

"You are very welcome, little lady", she answered, brushing a few tresses out of the girl's face. "It's delicious Barbara, as always."

"It is", Callie grinned, shoving another little piece of pie in her mouth.

"I am glad you like it", Mrs. Robbins smiled.

"Mommy, can we go do some colouring?", Arizona asked.

"Honeybee, just wait and let Calliope eat up", Elisabeth chuckled at her grandchild's euphoria, putting a pout on the blonde's lips. "And maybe you have to ask if she can colour or not. She has one hand in a cast. Maybe she's not able to colour at the moment?", the older lady reasoned.

"No. I-I-I am le-left handed. We all are. Were", Callie stuttered.

"Yaaaay! Colouring! I'll get the books. And sheets of paper. And crayons!", the curly blonde exclaimed, hopped of the chair and ran upstairs.

"You sure you want to be her friend, Calliope?", Daniel laughed, finding it still pretty amazing that the Latina could sit still and in silence for longer than two minutes. Maybe it was because she already went to school. But then again, she'd said she went to a catholic school, so they possibly went to church every Sunday.

"Can I stand up?", Callie asked when she had finished the piece of pie on her plate.

"Of course you can, dear. You don't have to ask."

They all watched as the little girl slid of the chair. She was way more careful than her daughter or grandchild. She didn't run in the house, she walked at a normal pace. "Just go upstairs. The second door on the right is Arizona's room", Barbara said when Callie didn't make an attempt to move. Sometimes she was questioning how much of that good behaviour was good for a child when it still should grow up as a child.

With a big grin on her face, the little Latina walked out of the kitchen and left the adults alone. "She is indeed adorable", Sam said, repeating the words about Callie his daughter said to him on the phone.

"Will you try to get custody?", Elisabeth asked straight to the point. She knew her daughter and she saw they all were in love with the girl.

"No", Barbara sighed. "Don't look at me like that, mom. It's not like we don't want to. We've thought about it, really. Because beside her being all cute and adorable, Arizona likes her a lot and it would be so great for her to have a friend like Callie. But we just brought our baby boy home and none of us knows when the Army will tell us to move again. It's not that we don't want to. We would if there was a possibility. But she deserves more", Barbara sighed. It was as simple as that. But that didn't make it any easier.

"I see..."


	7. Destiny Part 7

"Are you excited?", Ms. Miller asked as they were walking down a not so busy street a week after the funeral and the first day Calliope spent at the Robbins' home. "You'll see, they are very nice. Mister Menken is a teacher and Misses Menken is a nurse at the hospital." She watched the little girl walking beside her, her head hung down, her eyes focused on the ground while she stayed silent. "You know, they live pretty close to Arizona's family, same street", she said.

At that, Callie's eyes went wide and she looked up. She'd spent a lot of time with the Robbins' over the last week, getting to know them even better. And she liked them, a lot. Plus, Arizona was so funny and happy all the time. She made her smile even when she felt like crying her eyes out. "They do?", she asked.

Ms. Miller nodded. "But you have to promise me, you still tell me the truth if something feels wrong just as you did with the Bakers and the Thomsons last week, okay?" She honestly feared that Callie would turn down every other family except for the Menken's just because she could be next to Arizona every day. It was astounding how strong their bond was and how much the Robbins' cared for the little girl. Somehow she wished, they'd make a move, but it was up to them and not her place to make the offer.

"Miss Miller!", Callie exclaimed, startling the grown woman a little until she was sure that the little Latina wasn't hurt. Instead she found the little girl looking at one of the big store windows.

"Is something wrong?"

The girl didn't answer. She just kept staring at what was displayed behind the glass front.

"Hey, Calliope", she bent down, "talk to me."

"Look!" the little Latina said and pointed her finger to a particular place behind the window. "Look, Ms. Miller! There!"

Miss Miller looked up and instantly saw what Callie was referring to. "Aah, now I understand. Do you want to go in?"

Nodding eagerly, Callie asked, "Can I buy it? I want to buy it for Arizona. I could give it to her when I visit her in the afternoon. I promised to come again. I still can, can't I?"

"We talked about that already. We have to see how the meeting with the Menken's will be, okay?"

Callie sighed, but nodded. "But I really _really_ want to buy her that. Pleeeease!"

Miss Miller could do nothing but smile as big brown eyes looked up to her. It was the first time her smile reached her eyes though she was not around Arizona. But then again, she was just talking about her best friend. "What do you say, I call the Colonel and tell him that I'll bring you over at some point this afternoon, but that we can't give a time, yet. You try to find out if you like the Menken's or not and after that, I'll take you to see Arizona and Timmy, okay?"

"Very okay! Come on, Ms. Miller. We have to buy that before we meet the Menken's!", Callie exclaimed.  
The six year old made a beeline for the door and was through it before Ms. Miller could blink. Somehow, the little blonde had rubbed off and Callie became more and more happy. She still had her moments and that was okay and it was very important for Callie to know that it was still okay to cry. But then there were moments like these, when she was all happy and enthusiastic about something and she was very sure, it had a lot to do with the blonde ball of energy.

"Miss Miller!"

"Coming", she smiled and entered the shop after the girl.

xxx

"Hello Mrs. Menken, Mr. Menken, I am Ms. Miller and this is Calliope Torres", she greeted the couple as they rose from their seats in the small cafe. "I am sorry we are a little late. We had a major important thing to buy, isn't that right, Calliope?"

The little girl hid herself behind the left leg of Ms. Miller. Brown eyes looked curious past the woman's leg at the two strangers in front of her.

"Hello Calliope, I am Susan and this is my husband, Liam. And who is that friend of yours in your hand?"

Callie made a step to the side and hold the stuffed toy in front of her little body with her left hand, her right hand still safely wrapped up in the green cast. "That is Mrs. Turtle. I bought her for my friend. She gave me Mr. Turtle when I was in the hospital and now the baby turtle is alone. But a baby should never be without a mommy or a daddy", she explained as she tugged at the red bow around the turtle's armour.

All three grownups sighed simultaneously. Ms. Miller thought Callie just wanted to surprise Arizona. Now she knew it was just one part why she wanted to buy the turtle so much.

"Maybe we should sit down? Calliope, do you want something to drink?", Liam Menken asked.

"No", she shook her head.

"Do you want some cake?"

"No, thank you", Callie said, hugging the toy a little tighter.

"This friend of yours is a special friend?", Susan asked.

"Uh huh. Arizona is my best friend", Callie answered after she sat down and Ms. Miller took the seat to her right, giving the strange woman a slight smile.

"It is very nice of you to buy her a present", Liam said, giving the girl a nice smile. "Do you want to tell me about her?"

"Why do you want me to?"

"Because we want to get to know you. And you really seem to like her."

"I do", Callie grinned. "She is blonde with curls and has blue eyes. And she loves Memory just like I do. We play almost every time I go visit her. And we colour! She keeps the colors within the lines just like I do. And her mommy makes a super apple pie and I get to drink a hot chocolate. I was not allowed to go up into the tree house yet, because of my cast. But we played hide and seek in the whole house and backyard!", Callie said with excitement.

"Your friend seems to be pretty much perfect", Susan smiled, making Callie smile some more in return and nod.

"I will go see her today. And I will give her Mrs. Turtles so baby turtle has a mommy again."

"We have Memory too, you know."

"You do?", the little Latina asked, her eyes lighting up.

"We do. I have it since I was a child. I was a little older than you are now, maybe eight or nine years old. It had tigers and bears and elephants."

"Me like tigers!"

"You do? I like them too. But do you know what I like more?"

"No."

"Lions. The king."

"Me too! Daddy said, they are proud animals. But I love turtles the most", she admitted, peeking down at the turtle in her hand. "They remind me of Arizona."

"That is a really beautiful reason to like an animal. What else do you like?", Liam asked, trying to carefully break down the wall Callie had built around her. They knew from Ms. Miller what she'd been through and that she had a hard time letting people in – except for the Robbins' of course, but that was something the Menken's didn't know.

Ms. Miller leaned back and watched with a smile as the little Latina let go of her toy and relaxed right in front of her and there was a small smile almost constantly tugging at her lips. Maybe she found the right people. Maybe it would all blow up in her face after a while. But for now, it seemed to work.

"Hello, Ms. Miller", Daniel said as he opened the front door, welcoming the guests into their house. "And hello to you, too, Calliope. It is so good to see you again", he turned to the little girl, tousling through dark curls.

"Hello, Colonel Robbins", the Latina smiled. "Can we come in?"

"Of course you can", he answered, stepping aside to give both ladies shelter from the cold December rain.

"Thank you, Colonel Robbins", Ms. Miller said as she closed the umbrella and took of her coat.

"That is not Mr. Turtles", Daniel said as he noticed the stuffed turtle in Calliope's hands. First, Mr. Turtles was a little darker shade of green and brown and second, he looked kind of 'used' due to the nights his daughter had had a tight grip around his neck.

"No. It's a present for Arizona", Callie grinned.

Barbara's heart swell at the cuteness of the little girl in front of her. She just came into the hallway as Callie explained to her husband why she got a Mrs. Turtles for their daughter. "Arizona's upstairs in her room. We had a little accident down here and she spilled some orange juice all over her pants. She'll be down any minute."

"Miss Miller, do you want a coffee? We – my wife just made some."

"Gladly."

"And you, young lady? Hot chocolate?", Barbara asked.

The grin on the little Latina's face got even wider as she nodded eagerly.

"Calliope!", Arizona exclaimed as she came running down the stairs, clad in some light blue dungarees. Blonde locks bounced up and down as she skipped the last two steps and jumped down, landing safely on her two feet. Smiling that she didn't fall or even stumble, she took off and sped towards Calliope, hugging her best friend as if she hadn't seen her for at least two months.

Wearing a matching smile on her face, Callie hugged Arizona back with her arm that was not in a cast and still holding on to the toy. "I have something for you."

"What?", Arizona asked, letting go of her friend.

Smiling, Callie shoved the turtle into Arizona's arms. "Mrs. Turtles. So baby turtle is not alone anymore."

Blue eyes widened as she looked down at the visible new turtle in her hand. "You...you got me a turtle?"

"Of course!"

"Mommy! I got a new turtle!", Arizona said, turning around to her parents.

"We see that, Dimples. What do you say when someone gives you a present?"

Turning on her heels to look at her friend, she mumbled a 'Thank you' before hugging the girl again. "Want to go upstairs and color? Or puzzle?"

"Can we?", Callie asked. Though she was acting way more like a child her age would, she still knew her manners and asked a lot of things instead of just doing them.

"What do you say, you bring down everything you need to color and you can colour on the breakfast table with a cup of hot chocolate and some cinnamon pie?"

Dark brown eyes looked up to Mrs. Robbins. "I love cinnamon", she stated.

"Me too. It reminds me of Christmas."

"Me too!", Callie exclaimed.

"I won't take a no for an answer, Ms. Miller", Barbara said as she walked back into the kitchen with a smile on her face.

"Believe me, she won't", Daniel laughed as he saw the stunned look on the woman's face.

"Pie it is", she smiled and followed the Robbins further into their house as the girls raced up the stairs to get everything they would need.

xxx

"Can I have some more hot chocolate, mommy?", Arizona asked, using her dimples to get what she wanted.

"I think one more is okay. Calliope?", Barbara asked, ripping the girl out of her concentration of copying a picture from 'The Lion King'. It was too adorable. Her tongue peeked out between her lips and her brow furrowed when there was a difficult part.

"Pardon?"

Every time Callie used a word like 'pardon' the adults were a little taken aback, but the Robbins' were getting used to it. "Do you want another cup of hot chocolate?"

"No thank you. Can I have some water instead?"

"Of course you can."

"Can I have some water too?", Arizona asked, looking over to her friend and even copied the sound Callie had used for her question.

"So, now you want some water?"

The little blonde nodded. "Yes, please", she answered with a smile, making her parents smile in return. As much as her little girl was rubbing of an Callie, the same happened the other way around. Over the last days, they heard way more 'thanks' and 'pleases' than before. Not that they hadn't taught her girl to be polite and say thank you and please, especially Daniel. She just thought it was not that necessary with her parents. But since she spent so much time with Callie, that had changed – and they were happy about it.

"Water it is then. Do you want another coffee, Ms. Miller? There's still some. Or do you want some tea or water?"

"I am good, thank you. Calliope, why don't you tell the Robbins' about the people we met today?"

"Oh! The family", Arizona smiled. Calliope always told her about the couples she met. "Were they nice?"

"So nice!", Callie exclaimed.

"And they live a few houses down the street", Ms. Miller interjected.

"They do? What's their name? Maybe we know them", Daniel asked. He had been quiet for most of the time Callie and Ms. Miller were there, letting his wife to the talking part and just watched the girls 'play' colouring, while rocking his son in his arms or against his shoulder.

"The man's name is Liam and the woman's name is Susan", Callie answered.

"Honey, we need their surname", Barbara chuckled, placing two glasses on the table, each half filled with water.

"Menken", Callie said, laying the pencil and rubber on the table and reaching out for the glass.

"Oh, I know them! Mister Menken is a good man. He is a teacher at the local elementary school. There's a good chance he will be Arizona's class teacher next year", Daniel said. He still hoped, the Army was not going to make them move and leave everything behind again. He was already opting with the argument of having two kids now and wanting them to grow up at one place instead of 15 different states or countries. Maybe it could work once Arizona was going to school.

"He has a lovely wife. We saw them as we went to his school in summer, making our way around on an open day to see if we'd consider sending Arizona to that school. She was so eager. She wants to go to school for more than a year now, but they said she was still too young."

"Not too young, honey. Too small. They were worried about the big guys picking on her."

"Daddy's teaching me how to write my name and to read a little bit", Arizona said proudly. She took one of the pens and a new sheet of paper and wrote a big A on it. When she was done with the last letters of her name, she slipped the paper over to Callie.

"Arizona Robbins", the girl read aloud, took a pen herself and wrote down her name only to push the paper back to Arizona.

The blonde smiled. "You write better than me."

"I'm in school", the Latina shrugged. It didn't matter to her, not even one bit. She knew her friend was smart and would not have a problem learning how to write properly once she was attending school.

"I'll be there too, next year", Arizona grinned.

"So, the Menken's", Barbara started, "is there a possibility you want to live with them?"

Turning her gaze from Arizona to her mom, tilting her head from left to right and back. "Maybe?"

"Maybe?"

"Maybe!", Callie answered, a wide grin on her face as she turned her focus back to the drawing in front of her.

xxx

"Mommy, daddy!", Arizona and Callie came running back into the kitchen after they were gone for a good hour, watching one of their daughter's favorite movies in the living room.

"What is it, Dimples?", Daniel asked.

"Miss Miller?", Callie started, shoving her little foot on the floor.

"Calliope, is something bothering you?"

"No...yes...I do have a question?"

"Can Calliope stay overnight?", Arizona asked before Callie could even find the courage to ask Miss Miller.

"Uhm..." Pretty stunned by the little girl's question no grownup knew what to say.

"Pleeeeeeeeeeease", both girls said in unison and Daniel knew it was not a good idea to let them watch the Lion King.

"Calliope", Ms. Miller sighed. "Don't you think you're spending already enough time with the Robbins? They just got a baby and-"

"No. It would be okay, wouldn't it, Barb?", Daniel said quickly as he saw the girls' faces and both pairs of big eyes saddening.

"Fine with me", she smiled. "Really. We love to have her here. She's no trouble whatsoever. We have everything she could need. She can sleep in one of Arizona's pajamas and for tomorrow, I think we can find something for her to wear from Arizona's cousin. They are almost the same height. We even have a toothbrush. And frankly, can we say no to these two angels?"

Miss Miller smiled, "I guess, I am outvoted then. But before I can give the go, I have to inform the orphanage and see if they are okay with it. It's not unusual that kids are gone over night, but they spend those nights with their families." She got up and left the room to make the call.

"Of course," Daniel nodded.

"Daddy? Can you build us a den of pillows and blankets so we can sleep in it?", Arizona asked.

"Let's see first if Calliope is allowed to stay the night, okay?"

Both girls nodded.

"But if she can, can we have the den?", his daughter asked, looking up to her father from where she stood.

"Arizona..."

"Please, daddy, Colonel Robbins, Sir."

"She knows how to work you, Daniel", Barbara laughed as she saw her husband's stern face relaxing.

"Yeah, I wonder where she got that from", he chuckled. "If", he turned to his daughter, "if Calliope is allowed to stay the night, I will build you the most comfortable bed of pillows and the best den of blankets you've ever seen, Dimples", he promised.

"YAAY!", Arizona exclaimed just as Ms. Miller came back into the kitchen.

"They said it's okay. I told them you'd bring her back by 11am tomorrow, because I have an appointment in the morning. So, if you can arrange that, it will be okay."

"Of course we can", Barbara smiled. It was almost perfect. They were supposed to be at the hospital with Timmy for his next checkup anyway, so they'd just leave a little earlier.

"Well then, that's my cue to leave and spend some time with my daughter at home." She bent down to get at eye level with the little Latina. "You promise to be a good girl?"

Callie nodded.

"Don't make them regret their decision, okay?"

"Never", Callie grinned a toothy grin. "Miss Miller?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Mr. Turtles is still in the car..."

"Of course, how could I forget", she smiled. She had to do a good job at convincing the girl to leave the toy in the car for their meeting with the Menken's. And it even turned out to be useless because Callie found Mrs. Turtles on their way to the small cafe.

"Daddy, the den", the blonde reminded her father.

"I guess I have some serious work to do, so I better get to it. It was nice to have you here, Ms. Miller. Calliope is always welcome in our house and the same goes for you, if you want to stay while she's here."

"Thank you, Colonel Robbins. Hopefully though, I do not have to bring her over that often anymore", she smiled, knowing that the Robbins' indeed understood how she meant it.

"We hope that too", Barbara said. "I'll get Mr. Turtles for you, Calliope. Why don't you go upstairs with Daniel and Arizona and help them build the den?"

"I don't know how", Callie said.

"What?", Arizona asked.

"Mamà and papà never build a den for us."

"It's easy. You need lots and lots of pillows and blankets."

"I'll show you", Arizona said with a smile, grabbing Callie by her little arm, wanting to show her how to do it, but Callie stood still, stopping the blonde from rushing off.

"Bye, Ms. Miller", she said.

"Bye, Calliope", she said, brushing a few strands out of the little brunette's face. As the girls ran up the stairs, she put on her coat and turned to Mrs. Robbins. "She still has nightmares. If you can't get her back to sleep, just call me, okay?"

"We won't need to. And we place a baby monitor in the girls' room so we will hear her."

"Thank you."

"No, thank you, Ms. Miller. I know it is not the usual way of your work."

"It is not. But Calliope is not just any kid. She's kinda special and I know she loves you."

"We love her too."

"I know."

Barbara opened their front door and both women stepped out into the dark. "Miss Miller, let's say the Menken's don't want to have Calliope or she does not like them in the end, what will happen with her? She can't stay in the orphanage forever." The girl told them that she didn't like it there and that she was scared of one of the taller girls.

"I do my best to find a family for her. The Menken's would be perfect, though. They are good people and it was the first time I saw Calliope smile while she was meeting a couple. The way they interacted with her was so beautiful. But I am not blind, it's a different kind of happiness you can see in her eyes when she's with you."

"You said they live down the street?"

"They do. Another good point to give Callie some stability back after she lost her family. But in the end, it is her decision."

"And that is the best way to make the decision. But, what I actually wanted to ask is, if you would see any chance for us? Just in case, you know. We'd be happy for Callie to find a family that can give her all the attention she needs. But we love her so much already and Arizona really looks up to her though she's barely a year older."

"Mrs. Robbins, are you asking me what your chances are to get custody of the girl?", she asked as they were walking down the driveway to her car.

Barbara nodded. "I know we already have two kids and one's a newborn, but-"

"I do not see why there should be any problems. But you'd have to go through every procedure, you have to be aware of that."

"We know that. Daniel and I talked about it, a lot. And every time Callie tells us about a family that she does not like, we just want to ask her if she wants to stay with us, although we know we can't just ask her and it's settled. But, do you think we should try?"

"Honestly, that is your decision to make. Calliope would be the happiest orphan to get you as her parents", she answered with a smile. It was everything she hoped for the little girl.

"So you're suggesting that we should get the stone rolling?"

"Yes. I'd suggest that in case it is what you really want." She grabbed Mr. Turtles and handed it over to Mrs. Robbins. "Would you tell her I said good night?"

"Of course, Ms. Miller", Barbara said, hugging the toy to keep herself warm as Ms. Miller got in the car. "Bye."

"Bye."

xxx

"Daddy, will you read us a bedtime story?", Arizona asked as she climbed under the covers that were splayed across the mattress and pillows on the ground in the den.

"That depends...are you ready for bed?"

"Yes!"

"Teeth?"

"Brushed", Arizona answered, giving her father a radiating smile. Looking over to Callie who was clad in one of her pajamas with her hair braided for the night, she saw her doing the same.

"Face?"

"Washed."

"Feet?"

"Daddy, I took a bath!", Arizona giggled. "And we already said good night to Timmy. Please, daddy."

He sighed. These days it was a lot easier to get his baby boy down for the night. "Okay. One story, so choose wisely."

"Your choice", Arizona said, placing her five favorite books in Callie's lap who was taking in the size of the den.

It was so big, Arizona could stand tall and her head would still not touch the ceiling. The blankets around them made the air warm and with the pillows and mattress under them, it was pure comfort. "My choice?"

"Uh huh", Arizona nodded. "Pick a long one."

"Dimples..."

"Sorry, daddy. But you are the bestest bedtime story reader in the whoooole world."

"Don't let your mommy hear that", Daniel chuckled. "You okay, Calliope? Do you need anything?"

"I'm good" the little Latina said, shaking her head and just holding Mr. Turtles tight in her arms, still deciding what story she wanted to listen to. "Snow Queen or Swan Princess?", she asked, not sure if Arizona would like any of them.

"Snow Queen! It's my favorite", Arizona said smiling as she reached out for Mrs. Turtles and the baby turtle. Of course, all of them had to sleep with them in the den.

"Mine too."

"That was fast", Colonel Robbins laughed, taking the books Callie held out for him and put them on the shelf except for the Snow Queen. "But we won't make it through the whole tale in one night."

"That means Calliope has to stay more nights", the blonde ball of energy grinned.

"Dimples, you know it is not that easy", Barbara said from where she was standing, witnessing the conversation.

"Mommy! Daddy's reading us the Snow Queen! It's Calliope's favorite", Arizona exclaimed as she spotted her mommy leaning against the door frame of her bedroom.

"That's great, Dimples."

"You want to stay and listen too?", Callie asked, dark brown eyes looking up to Mrs. Robbins. Her daddy had never been home early enough to read her bedtime stories. Usually, it was her mom who had done it, some nights even Aria. But never her father.

"You want me to?"

Callie nodded, but looked over to Arizona, seeing if she was okay with it.

"Come here, mommy." The blonde moved closer to Callie to make some room for her mom.

Placing two baby monitors on her daughter's chest of drawers, she made her way into the middle of the room and sat down beside her daughter. "Well, I am waiting", she said, nudging her husband into his thigh with her foot.

Daniel coughed a few times until he finally started, "_First story. Which Treats of a Mirror and of the Splinters.  
Now then, let us begin. When we are at the end of the story, we shall know more than we know now: but to begin.  
Once upon a time there was a wicked sprite..."_


	8. Destiny Part 8

"They are both out like a light", Barbara whispered after about thirty minutes into the story, watching the girls sound asleep in the middle of the mattress, facing each other.

"Little angels." Daniel took a deep breath. "Look how beautiful they are", he said as his wife brushed a few loose tresses out of both girls faces. His daughter's fair skin in contrast to the little Latina's tanned skin was such a gorgeous picture.

"Indeed", Barbara said, getting up on her knees to place the big blanket over the little bodies and the turtles between them. "I talked to Ms. Miller about making steps...you know?"

"What did she say?"

"That we should try if we are sure that this is what we really want."

"Do you really want it?"

"I already love her like a daughter."

"Me too, Barb. But I think we should get some things sorted out first", Daniel reminded her, meaning his job.

"I know. But even if it is not clear...maybe we could start everything? The procedure sure needs time. And we don't even know if Calliope would want to stay with us. It's just...what if there's no family out there who wants her and we do and didn't make a move?"

"Let's think it through and talk about it, okay?"

Barbara smiled. "Okay." She bent down and placed a light kiss on her daughter's forehead and then did the same to Callie. "She's so beautiful, Daniel."

"Imagine these two in a few years, still friends, breaking every boy's heart."

"They sure will", Barbara chuckled and got to her feet. "I love you."

"I love you too", Daniel answered, kissing his wife softly. "What's with the second baby monitor?", he asked confused as he switched on the little light with the butterflies.

"Ms. Miller said, she still has nightmares. I don't want her to wake up and feel alone. That way, we will hear her."

"I married a genius", he chuckled.

"Mhmm, our girl isn't so smart for no reason", she grinned and left her daughter's room. Daniel followed her, leaving the door slightly ajar before making his way downstairs to join his wife in the living room.

xxx

Later that night, Callie was tossing and turning in her sleep. She'd kicked her part of the blanket off her body and had a tight grip on Mr. Turtles right fin. Her face was tear streaked and little whimpers could be heard over the baby monitor, not loud enough to wake the older Robbins', though.

But it woke the one Robbins family member, that was lying next to her. Rubbing her still closed eyes with one hand she sat up and felt around with the other one. "Calliope?", she whispered, opening her blue eyes and seeing her friend's face in the dimly light of her nightlight, distorted with fear.

Not exactly knowing what she could do, the little blonde thought about getting her parents, but as she tried to move, Callie's whimpers got louder. "Don't cry", Arizona said as she noticed the tears. "I am here." She laid back down, repositioning the blanket over their bodies just like she saw her mommy and daddy did it with Timmy, and wrapped a her little arm around her best friend. "Don't cry", she said anew.

Though she tried her best, it didn't get better. Callie moved and kicked in her sleep. She mumbled a few times and then, all of a sudden, she screamed, scaring Arizona – and waking up her parents – with it, but the blond held on tight to the girl. That's what her father did in the hospital. And she would do the same until Callie was better.

She refused to let go even as her mom picked her up and held her in her arms when Daniel took care of the Latina.

"Mommy?"

"Ssshh, it's going to be okay, Dimples."

"Did I do it wrong?"

"What do you mean, Dimples?"

"I held her just like daddy", she said while watching Callie slowly relaxing in her daddy's arms, "but I must have done it wrong."

"You did good, Dimples", Barbara said, caressing her daughter's cheeks and wiping some tears away.

"But daddy does it better?"

"No. He's just taller and can hold her better."

"Can I hold her good when I get taller too?", Arizona asked.

"I think you'll hold her the best", Barbara whispered, hoping that the girls would stay friends and be there for each other five, ten, twenty years down the road. If she was allowed to wish for something in her daughter's life, she would wish for their bond to last a lifetime.

"Do you think she can stay here?", Barbara asked once Daniel had put Callie down again and she was back to sleep peacefully.

"Yeah. I think she'll be okay." Looking at his already half asleep daughter in his wife arms, he wiped the last tear away. "You did the right thing, Dimples. But if it happens again, you come and get us, okay?"

"Yeah, daddy", Arizona answered as her mother let go of her and she got bank under the covers. "G'night, daddy", she mumbled, closing her eyes, being asleep In an instant.

xxx

"Calliope, wake up, sweetie", Barbara said, stroking over the little girl's back as she laid on her stomach, still asleep with Mr. Turtles partly trapped under her. Her daughter was already awake and sitting at the breakfast table, still dressed in her pajamas, waiting for exactly that – breakfast.

"Mhmm?"

Barbara smiled. Aside from the little incident at around 2am, the night had been good. "Sweetie, open your beautiful brown eyes for me."

"Mrs. Robbins?", Callie asked. "Where am I?"

"You stayed the night, honey."

Thinking for a moment and taking in her surroundings, Callie smiled. "I did." But then she seemed to remember what happened during the night and the smile on her lips faltered. "I had a bad dream."

"We know, sweetie."

"Did I wake you?"

Barbara nodded. "But it's okay. We were just glad we could help you."

"Arizona?", Callie asked, remembering seeing the blonde in her mommy's lap.

"She's downstairs. Breakfast is almost ready. You hungry?"

Nodding and wiping some sleep out of her face, Callie asked, "Can I have hot chocolate for breakfast?"

"Of course. I just made a jug, I am sure Arizona will be more than happy to share it with you", Barbara answered with a smile. "What do you want to eat?"

"Mhmm...pancakes?", the little brunette asked?"

"You two could be sisters", Barbara chuckled. "Pancakes it is."

"Really?", Callie asked, her eyes grew even bigger the moment Mrs. Robbins said that they'd have pancakes for breakfast. At home, they never had pancakes for breakfast. They never had pancakes at home, period. Her father always said, they were not good enough. So, the first time she had eaten a pancake, she had been at the daycare during lunch time after school which was a few months ago.

"Really. You just have to get up and get downstairs." She couldn't contain the laughter that erupted her lips as the little girl stood up in a split second, grabbing her turtle and made a beeline for the stairs.  
When she reached the stairs herself after letting some light in her daughter's room and switching of the butterfly-lamp, she heard little feet on the kitchen floor, a chair being pulled back and a fit of giggles and squeals reached her ear that got louder with every step she made. She was relieved, that Callie seemed to handle the bad dream she had quite good and that she could put a smile on the little girl's face just by mentioning pancakes.

"Mommy, can we watch the end of the Lion King before we leave?", Arizona asked as Barbara placed a plate with a pile of pancakes in the middle of the breakfast table.

"I thought you wanted to have pancakes?"

"I do", the blonde grinned. "After breakfast."

"We'll see about that, Dimples. Before you have breakfast though, you have to sit down properly. You know we don't sit on our legs and knees on a chair", Daniel reminded his daughter while handing his son over to his wife.

"But I can't reach the pancakes", Arizona pouted, sitting down on her little butt.

"You can always ask and you know you'll get one."

"Can I have syrup and chocolate sauce?", she asked with a dimpled smile.

"Don't you think that's a little too much sugar for one breakfast?"

"No", the little blonde said, shaking her head, making her braids fly around her little head. "Please."

"One. Either syrup or chocolate sauce."

"Mean", she grumbled, crossing her little arms in front of herchest. But looking over to her friend, seeing the big eyes and the wide smile on the Latina's face, she smiled. "Your choice", she said again.

"Syrup", the Latina said immediately, still remembering the heavenly taste of the combination from when she had it at the daycare.

"Syrup" Arizona grinned, reaching for the tube of the sugary stuff but could not quite get her hand around it, though her finger almost got to touch it. "Daddy, help me, pleeeease."

Witnessing the whole situation, Barbara laughed again. Her husband was such a softy inside. Her heart swell as she watched him first helping his daughter and then cutting the pancake into smaller pieces for the Latina. All three of them wore matching smiles that probably mirrored her own as she was nursing her son in the rocking chair that Daniel had moved from the living room to the kitchen while she made the pancakes for breakfast. She saw the way Callie's eyes were beaming and how adorable she looked with some syrup on her little chin. Knowing that it was most definitely the same with her own daughter, she smiled some more. Right now, this moment, for her, it was perfection.

xxx

Three weeks later, as a blanket of snow covered the streets and trees of Seattle, the six year old had moved in with the Menken's – on a trial basis. She was finally freed from her cast a few days ago and Ms. Miller had made sure that she'd got most of her personal things from her home. The house the little Latina grew up in would stay in her ownership, as did her family's money and she would get everything to her free disposal once she was old enough. For now, the system made sure Callie and the Menken's wouldn't miss out on anything. Mostly of course, so Callie would have everything she could need financially, while Susan and Liam made sure she'd get all the love and care she needed.

And though Callie felt a little bad for feeling a small amount of happiness again, she couldn't change it. She liked the Menken's, a lot. Susan was very nice to her, even took a few weeks off to spend the days with Calliope and Liam made sure to get home early so he could get some family time himself. Miss Miller stopped by at least twice a week (that often?) to see if everything was okay or even good and to make sure Calliope was in good hands.

Today though, today was a special day and the little girl woke up with a smile on her face. It was Christmas day and the Menken's and the Robbins' had promised they would spend the day together. So now, she was waiting for the Robbins' – for Arizona – to come.

"Calliope, you ready?", Susan knocked on the partly open door to the girl's room, finding Callie silently sitting on her bed in a little dark blue and white dress, her long hair falling loose in her natural waves over her shoulders as she had her hands in her lap.

"Ready", she said, looking up and giving Susan a small smile. The beautiful smile that appeared more on more on the little brunette's face since she was not condemned to live in the orphanage anymore.

"You excited to see Arizona? It's been almost a week", the woman asked as she sat down beside the girl, putting her hand on the brunette's back.

"I can't wait", Callie answered honestly. She'd missed her best friend while the Robbins' were gone for a few days to visit Arizona's other grandparents. "Mrs. Menken?"

"How many times do I have to tell you, that you can call me Susan, honey? Do you need anything?"

"No. I...do you think Arizona will like my present?"

"I think she'll love it", Susan smiled. She knew the whole story about how they met and how Arizona helped her ever since, but even if she didn't, a blind one could see that they were really close. So, when Liam and she took the Latina to the mall last week, she practically beamed with joy as she spotted the Memory with all kinds of butterflies and turtles. It was, as if it was made for their friendship. And Callie had made it very clear, that she wanted to give it to Arizona for Christmas. "They'll be here any minute now. You coming downstairs with me?"

"Uh huh", Callie nodded. "Susan?"

Susan spun around on her feet as she was half way through the door.

"Does Santa know where I live now?"

"Why wouldn't he?"

"Because, I know, I bought the game for Arizona, but I am sure Santa got her a bunch of presents because he knows where she lives. But...does he know where I am now?"

Susan remembered that Callie hadn't been downstairs today. "I can tell you, that I saw a few presents under the Christmas tree with your name on it."

"I got presents?"

"I don't know. Are you hiding another gorgeous girl with such a beautiful name like yours in this house?"

Callie chuckled. "No."

"So, I'd say they're for you. But to be really sure, we have to unpack them, right?"

"Can I unpack them when Arizona gets here?", the little Latina asked.

"Of course you can, sweetie. Speaking of...", Susan grinned as the doorbell rang and the smile on Callie's face grew even wider and the girl nearly bounced on her heels. "Go", she smiled and Callie was out of her room in a split second.

xxx

When Callie reached the end of the stairs, she saw her blonde, blue eyed best friend taking of her coat, a present wrapped in glossy green paper positioned at her feet. Daniel and Barbara Robbins were right behind their daughter. Barbara was waiting with the baby in her arms for her daughter to finally take of the little coat while Daniel had several presents in his hands.

"Arizona!", Callie beamed. "Colonel Robbins! Mrs. Robbins!"

"Hello, little lady. My, you look really beautiful", Barbara said.

"Thank you. You are beautiful too", Callie answered, blushing as she stood in front of the three.

"Mhmm, something is different, don't you think Barbara?", Daniel mused.

Grinning as wide as she could, Callie held up her little right arm. "They took off my cast last week. And I did not cry", she said proudly.

"She feels better now that she doesn't need our help every time", Susan said.

"Merry Christmas!", Arizona interrupted their conversation with a squeal, pulling Callie in for a hug, leaving the Latina a little flustered at the suddenness.

"Arizona Robbins, didn't you forget something?"

"Ooops, sorry daddy", Arizona said, knowing exactly what that voice of her father meant. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Menken."

"Hello Arizona, it's nice to see you again."

"Santa left a present for you!", the blonde beamed at Callie.

"He did?", she asked, looking up to Arizona's parents.

"Let me see if I can find it", Daniel played before he further explained to Liam who had opened the door and Susan who just came down the stairs, that their daughter refused to unpack any present because she wanted to wait until they would go and see Calliope.

"Thank you for coming, we know it means a lot to her", Liam said.

"There's no need to thank us for that – by any means. We're glad to see Calliope again and to see her happy."

"I have a present for you, too", Callie smiled, taking Arizona's hand, walking straight into the living room with her.

"I hope it is okay that we bought something for her. How has she been?"

"She's doing good. She still has nightmares but we went to a few therapy sessions with her as Ms. Miller asked us to and he said she can go back to school after the winter break. We hope she didn't miss too much but as far as I am concerned, she's smart. There's a possibility she has to do the first grade again, because she missed almost five weeks, but we wanna at least give it a try", Susan said, watching her girl – yes, for her, Calliope was her daughter though she would never ask her to call them mom and dad – waiting in the living room.

"Mommy, daddy?", they heard Arizona's voice.

"Coming!", Daniel said with his loud voice. "I think we should go in as well."

"Yep, sounds pretty important to me too", Liam laughed, leading the way.

"Mommy, look what I got!", Arizona beamed, standing up and running over to her parents, showing them the new Memory.

While Barbara mouthed a small 'perfect' at the little Latina, Daniel inspected the game from every side before smiling and handing the present with the glossy green paper to his daughter. "You want to give it to her?"

"YES!" And right that instant, her new Memory was kind of forgotten and she shoved the present over to her friend. "There's your name on it", she explained, pointing out the capital 'C'. By now, Daniel had taught her to read and write Callie's name a couple of time, she still struggled a little with the writing part, though.

"For me? Really?"

"Open it, open it!"

"Can I get you a coffee or something else?", Liam asked, chuckling at the bubbly little blonde girl that was sitting on the carpet across from Callie, surrounded by several presents wrapped in different papers.

"Coffee sounds good", Daniel nodded. "But we don't want to cause any trouble."  
"It's no trouble at all", Susan reassured him, leaving for the kitchen to make some coffee.

"Liam!", the girl shrieked, her eyes so wide, one could really see the happiness in them. "I got a lunch box with Nala on it and a mug with Simba!"

"That's great, honey. You'll need them when you'll go back to school."

"You going back to school?", Arizona asked.

"After Christmas break", Callie answered.

A small pout was noticeable on the blonde's lips. "So we can't play anymore?"

"Dimples, Calliope will be at school in the morning. She'll be home around noon and you can still play in the afternoon", Barbara explained while her baby boy happily suckled on the bottle his mom was offering. "Can we still have sleepovers?", she asked. Since Callie had spent the first night at the Robbins' house, they had four more sleepovers. At the last one, they finally finished the 'Snow Queen' and Arizona had already chosen the next story, Rapunzel.

"Yes", Daniel answered. "But you'll have to wait for the weekends."

"And holidays", Susan added as she came back from the kitchen, a tray with for cups of coffee in her hands.

Satisfied with the answer, Arizona sat back down on the carpet and started to unpack her other presents as well as Calliope who was very surprised that Santa really knew where she lived and that he even knew that she was Arizona's friend. Showing each and every present to the other, they completely blocked out the adults in the room. And once they were finished and the floor was practically covered with wrapping paper and ribbon, they instantly started a new match of Memory.

xxx

After lunch, the hype about their new presents had died down a little. Though Arizona really loved her new game of Memory, some of the butterflies nearly looked the same and it did confuse her a bit and so, Callie had won more matches today. It didn't matter to her anymore though, when Callie showed her her new room and some of her 'old' toys and puzzles after lunch. And once they were through with that, they brought everything down for their favorite play, colouring.

"What are you doing there?", Arizona asked when they were all sitting around the dining table of the Menken's household and she just noticed that Callie had picked up the black pencil after a while.

"Writing", Callie smiled, her little legs and feet dangling back and forth under the table while her tongue peeked out through her lips.

"What are you writing?", the blonde asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

"Wait."

"I wanna see."

"Wait", the little Latina repeated, concentrating on finishing what she'd started.

"Can I see now?"

"Five seconds."

"One", Arizona started.

"Don't count!"

"Two."

"Hey!"

"Three."

"No", Callie whined.

"Four."

"Done!", she exclaimed just as Arizona was about to say the last number. She laid the pen back on the table and stared at the sheet of paper.

"Can I see now?", Arizona asked again.

"Sure", the brunette grinned and sat back on her chair, giving her friend room to see what she'd created.

"That's my name", the little blonde stated as she looked at the picture, instantly making out her name. "And that's yours, Calliope!"

"That's us", Callie smiled, pointing first at the little blonde girl in the picture and then at the one with brown curls.

"You gave me braids?"

"I like your braids", she shrugged.

"Ma-mari-? What's that?"

"Ma-ri-po-sa", Callie said, emphasizing every syllable.

"Why is it written on my clothes?"

"It means butterfly", Callie explained. "And you like butterflies."

"I love butterflies", Arizona beamed.

"They are beautiful", the little Latina stated but didn't say anything else, she just looked at Arizona, then over to Timmy who was sound asleep in his baby carrier and then back to the blonde girl to her right.

"We're holding hands", Arizona said with a big smile on her little face as she noticed the joined part between them that was supposed to be their hands. "And you are not crying."

"No. Because you make me smile." Looking over to the blonde, she finally saw that Arizona was indeed smiling.

"You make me smile too. We will always be friends, right?", she asked, because while she was visiting her grandparents, she had missed Calliope too.

"Always", Callie reassured her with a toothy grin.

"Even when you go to school and I not?"

"Yes."

"Even when you find other friends in school?"

"Yep."

"Best friends?", the blonde asked. "Forever and ever?"

"Longer than forever", Callie replied and the smile on Arizona's face mirrored hers perfectly.


	9. Us against the world Part 1

**Chapter 2 – Us against the world**

"Guess what?", Arizona burst through the door. She was slightly out of breath because she ran all the way down the street with her little legs to tell her best friend the news she and her family just received. Normally, she was not allowed to just take off and run anywhere, but seeing that it was their last day of the summer break and Arizona really wanted to surprise Callie, her parents allowed her to go, well, run. It was okay since they were living in a really small suburb where it was only on rare occasion, that a car was driving way off limit.

"What?", the Latina looked up from her school stuff. She was already packing her bag for tomorrow. 'Always be prepared in case you're running late' her father had taught her and that's what she did every evening when it was a school day the next morning.

"We're going to school together tomorrow", the now 7 year old blonde grinned in excitement, showing Callie that two of her teeth were still missing, because she lost one of them at the beginning of summer break and the other one two weeks ago.

"We always do", Callie smiled. There was no way she would have changed that. Of course she had made some friends in her class, but in the end, she spent all her time after school with Arizona, except for four to five days a month, when she would go to her Spanish class after school. Born into a Spanish family, she was raised bilingual until her parents and sister had died almost two years ago and to not take that away from her, Susan and Liam had asked her if she wanted to learn Spanish. They knew their girl was smart enough to handle both, school and Spanish and she could still be a child. They even lost count on how many times she and Arizona came back from school, telling them they were already done with their homework.

"Different", she grinned even wider.

"Different?", Callie asked, tilting her head, a little confused by what the blonde was trying to tell her.

"I can skip."

"What?", Callie asked, still not getting it.

"I'm skipping second grade! Daddy got the call and I can be in your class!"

"For reals?"

"Uh-huh", Arizona nodded.

"No way! Third grade? My class?"

"Our class", the cocky blonde corrected.

"Our class", Callie repeated with a huge smile on her face as Liam came into the room as well.

"I assume you know already?"

Both nodded eagerly, the blonde a tiny bit more than Callie. "Why didn't you tell us?", the little Latina asked. She was smart enough and understood, that Liam was not only a teacher, but actually had responsibility and something to say.

"I got the call this afternoon, Calliope. Because in the end, it was the headmaster's decision. And apparently, you're smart enough, kid", he said, tousling.

"I am! I got aaaaall A's last year", Arizona grinned proudly, although Liam – being her class teacher – knew that already.

"You're both smart", Susan said when she entered the room as well. "You think you can manage third grade?"

"Of course!", the little blonde said very convincingly.

"You sure can", Liam smiled. "Do your parents know you're here?", he asked, knowing very well that sometimes, Arizona just sneaked out without asking.

"They do. Daddy said he'd come and pick me up when it's getting too late. Can I stay a little bit?"

"Do you wanna have dinner with us? I'm just about to fix us something", Susan suggested.

"No. Daddy said, I have to be at our house for dinner, that's why he's going to come and get me. Can I still stay though?"

"Half an hour should be okay. I'll call Daniel and Barbara", Liam answered. Over the time the adults had become friends too, which actually didn't surprise them. It started out as having a coffee or tea together every second Sunday. Then it was every Sunday and now, on some days, one of them just called, asking to come over. It was just perfect for the kids as they were spending so much time together anyway. "How is your brother doing? Is he feeling better?"

"Yeah. Mommy said it was just a light stomach bug. He's okay now."

"That's good", Liam smiled. "I think we're leaving you alone now. I'll call you when your father gets here."

"Thank you", Arizona answered, already flopping down on the floor next to her friend, who just finished her task, zipping up her bag and putting it down at one leg of her desk.

xxx

"You're too small to be in third grade," one of the boys with slightly red hair said.

"No!", Arizona protested loudly. It was the second week and so far, she loved being in third grade. First grade had been no challenge for her and she was not even afraid of skipping the second one because now, she had Calliope sitting next to her. And when she struggled, which happened once the first week in math, she got help.

"You look like you belong into kindergarten", another one said.

"I bet she's too stupid for third grade anyway", the tallest boy said. He was also the one who started picking on her as soon as Callie left her side because she had to go to the toilet before they left for home.

Normally, Liam would just take them home, like he used to any Wednesday, but he had to attend a class conference because two boys got in a pretty bad fight the first week and one had a broken nose. He said, they were deciding what to do with the boy who broke his nose because it wasn't the first time something like that happened to him as a participant. It was on such a short notice, her daddy and Susan were at work and her mom was busy as well and because their school wasn't that far away from their street anyway, they decided to try and let them walk home.

"You are stupid!", the little blonde countered.

"She has butterflies on her pencil case."

"Hey! That's my bag!"

"And there are butterflies on her lunch box as well."

"She's such a baby."

"I'm not a baby", Arizona mumbled, trying to hold back her tears. She didn't think that being the new kid in her class, on top of being the youngest, would cause her any trouble. She didn't know that third grade boys could be such bullies.

The five boys closed the gaps between each other and cornered her even more, throwing a big shadow on Arizona who had the wall of the building in her back. "She's about to cry", the redhead said.

"No!", she shot back though a tear betrayed her, spilling from her right eye and softly rolling down her cheek.

"She is. Baby", one boy with very intense gray eyes spat. If nothing could scare the girl, that boy could.

"I am not!", the blonde replied, wiping away the single tear.

"You are!" the tallest boy laughed. "Such a baby."

"Hey! Go away!" Callie yelled. As she excited the building she was wondering where her best friend had gone because she said she was waiting under their favorite tree. But then she spotted Arizona's bag and the case with the butterflies on it laying on the ground next to a group of boys.

"Calliope", Arizona whispered.

"I said go away!", Callie came running towards them.

The boys didn't move an inch.

"Hey! She's my best friend and I said. Go. Away!", she emphasized every word.

"What if we don't?", one of the boys said and Arizona knew, he was not in her class, but he was the bigger brother of one of her classmates.

"You gonna run and get your daddy?"

Callie froze. Liam was not her daddy and both, Susan and he made it very clear that they would not try to replace her parents. Though the adoption papers were signed and they got custody, they didn't make her change her last name or forced her into anything. To her, they were Susan and Liam and her mom and dad were six feet under.

"No, Calliope", Arizona tensed too, still remembering very well the nightmares Callie had on rare occasions and how they came back as the first anniversary came around last year.

"Don't say anything about my daddy", Callie whispered, looking down at her feet for a second. When she first came into the class, the same boys picked on her because of her name but they stopped as they noticed that it didn't matter to her. But as that memory came back to her, her head suddenly jerked up and there was a look in her eyes, Arizona had never seen before. "Don't say _anything_ about my daddy!"

"Or what?"

Before Arizona could say anything, Callie was pushing one of the boys out of the way. And then the next and the next, one even fell down, landing on his ass and hands.

"Calliope!", their class teacher yelled. She was not attending the conference and had just finished the preparations for tomorrow when she heard Arizona through the open window, and just after a minute, she knew she would have to step between them and that was even before Callie came into the mix. "Calliope, that's enough now, sweetie." Holding the little Latina back, she looked at Arizona, making sure she was okay.

"Mrs. Kingston, Calliope shoved us", the smallest boy said, obviously playing the innocent card.

"Michael, you know that lying is a bad thing", she said in a calm voice.

"But Mrs. Kingston, we were-"

"No, I saw everything, Michael. And I think, you owe Arizona an apology, all of you."

"I am sorry", Michael mumbled, understanding that there was no other way out.

"Okay", the blonde shrugged her shoulders. Michael hadn't done anything to her, the other boys did.

"And what about you? Kevin, Tommy, Jason, Robert? Can you tell me why you did what you just did?"

"She's a baby", Tommy answered.

"A baby? I thought you know what a baby looks like, you all have little siblings."

"But she's younger than we are."

"And that is a problem?"

"No, Mrs. Kingston", they said, shaking their heads.

"So?"

"I am sorry", the boys said in unison. Except for Jason.

"Jason, I know I am not your class teacher, but I bet you don't want any trouble, do you?", she asked as the other boys slowly walked away.

"No, Mrs. Kingston. I am sorry, too."

"It's okay", Arizona shrugged. "Can we go home now?"

"Isn't anyone picking you up?"

"Not today, Mrs. Kingston", Arizona answered. She like her new class teacher. Though she liked Liam more, at least, now she didn't have to remember not to call him Liam in class.

"Ah, Mr. Menken is still busy with that conference, isn't he?", she asked. Knowing that the four adults were taking turns to pick up the girls from school.

"Uh-huh", Callie nodded, looking up to her teacher.

"We're walking home", the blonde answered, her curls falling into her face as she put her things back in her bag.

"I can give you a ride", Mrs. Kingston offered.

"That's not necessary, Mrs. Kingston. We can walk", Callie assured her. She really wanted to try this, because if they made it home save, maybe they were allowed to walk more often.

"Are you sure?"

"Very sure", Arizona grinned.

"Okay. I see you tomorrow. And don't forget to ask your parents for and empty box for art class."

"Yes Mrs. Kingston", both girls said as they were heading towards the gate.

"Thank you", Arizona smiled as they were out of earshot.

"For what?"

"For helping me."

"Always", the little Latina replied. "You're my best friend."

"Best friend", Arizona smiled, taking Callie's hand in hers like they always did.

xxx

"Calliope, can I talk to you?", Liam asked, stepping into his girl's room and sitting down on her bed, patting the place beside him to tell her to sit down too. "Mrs. Kingston told me what happened after school."

"Oh", the little girl sighed, already clad in her pajamas, ready for bed.

"You know why I had to be at that conference, right? Because that boy punched another boy and broke his nose", Liam explained.

"I didn't punch anyone."

"I know. But shoving is just a start. And I don't want you to push anyone."

"But they were picking on Arizona. They were five and she was alone."

"I know that too. But it's still no reason to push other kids."

"One said something about me getting my daddy for help."

Even Liam tensed a little when the girl said that. He didn't know that. "And that made you sad?"

"And angry", Callie admitted quietly, nodding her little head.

He understood it, he really did. Still... "But you know how we think about violence at home and at school."

"Yes, Sir."

"Calliope, you don't have to call me Sir, because I am telling you, you did something wrong." To be honest, he expected it to happen sooner, but up until now, Callie had been an angel. Always coming home right after school or calling that she would be at Arizona's when she forgot to ask before leaving school.

"Okay?", the little girl asked confused.

"I just don't want it to happen again, okay? I know you were just trying to help Arizona and Mrs. Kingston told me that it wasn't too bad what you did. But-"

"You don't want me to do it again", Callie said.

"You're too smart, kid", he smiled. "How was walking home from school?"

"Good. Can we do it again?"

"Maybe. We'll see what Barbara and Daniel will say about it, okay?"

"Okay."

He got up from the bed and looked around in her room. Sometimes he wondered how she was raised before her parents had died. Her room was never messy, because she made sure to put everything back into place before she went to bed. She did her homework either at school or right after lunch and even on Friday's.

"Liam?"

"Yes?"

"Do you still love me?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because of what I did?"

"Calliope", he started, getting down on his knees to be at eye level with the Latina. "Nothing could make us love you any less, okay?"

"Really?"

"Really", he reassured her. "We're a family and a family's love is relentlessly. And there's nothing that can change that."

"I love you, too", she said.

"We know that, sweetie", he smiled, kissing her forehead. "Now, I think it is time for you to go to sleep. Do you want me to read you a story?"

"Little Women?", Callie asked hopefully. She couldn't help it, she loved the stories of Jo and the little lively Betty who reminded her so much of Arizona.

"One chapter, okay?"

"Okay!", she exclaimed, climbing under the blanket, tugging Mr. Turtles towards her as she rested her little head on the pillow. But all of a sudden she shot up.

"Is something wrong?"

"I forgot to say goodnight to Susan."

"Go, I'll wait for you."

Callie rushed out of her room, leaving Liam who could only chuckle. Sometimes she acted way to mature for her age. But at times like this, she was acting exactly like kids her age d and that were the moments he memorized in his head and heart.


	10. Us against the world Part 2

Us against the world Part 2

The _little _incident that one day last week after school was the first and last time something like that happened. The girls mainly stayed away from the boys and if they even dared to make a comment, Callie gave them a hard glare. Always in mind that Liam and Susan, as well as the Robbins' and the school were totally against violence, it was her only way to protect Arizona. And in the meantime, they just kept to themselves.

"Good morning", Mrs. Kingston came in this Friday morning. "Before we start, I'll give you back your math homework. I am happy that there was no one who didn't understand the tasks, but I am very proud that two of you even managed to solve the extra task", she grinned, looking in the direction of Callie and Arizona. First she thought that they may have asked Liam or the Colonel, but as she saw the notes with both their handwriting on them Callie had – maybe accidentally – left in her exercise book, she knew the girls had just been pretty ambitious to find the solution. "One of them is our birthday girl", she finally announced, as she handed them their homework back, making Callie blush a little.

The brunette didn't like the attention even when it was a good one. Maybe it was because of her sister who had told her on a few occasions that Callie was getting too much attention from her parents when in fact, she didn't. Maybe it was something else. All she knew, she didn't like it. Plus, it was still weird to celebrate her birthday without her parents. Last year, she mostly cried. This year, she didn't but it still didn't mean that she didn't miss her family a lot.

"And now I am very proud to tell you that we finally got the affirmation that we are starting a new project with the local sports clubs, starting in a month from now. Every student in third and fourth grade will get the chance to choose a sport they want to play or do. It will replace you last classes on Friday and you'll get grades for that, but you can't fail. It's mostly about trying and not-", she stopped as she saw one hand up. "Yes, Arizona?"

"What kind of sports?", the blonde asked, so happy about being in third grade.

"You can choose between softball, soccer, volleyball, basketball and swimming. You can even switch, one time, if you find out that your first choice wasn't good. Each sport will have separate teams for boys and girls to make it fair. But, although it is a school project, we need your parents to fill out some papers and sign them."

And as Mrs. Kingston was going on with the details, Callie leaned in and whispered: "Do you know what you will choose?"

"Swimming", Arizona replied, nodding slightly.

It didn't surprise the Latina. During summer break, the blonde wanted to spend every day either on the beach when they were on vacation or somewhere else with a pool. It was one of the best memories. They rented a house on the beach and spent two weeks there, all seven of them. And Arizona just loved the water so much. Callie loved the water too, but for a different reason. Water reminded her of her best friend's eyes. It had the same intense blue. Swimming on the other hand was not her thing.

"You?", Arizona asked, hoping her friend would choose the same.

"I don't know", she shrugged.

"You can come swimming with me", the blonde grinned.

"Mhmm", Callie hummed. Maybe she could go play volleyball or softball. She remembered her mom telling her stories about when she was playing volleyball back in college and that she liked it a lot. And Susan still played softball with her colleagues from the hospital and Callie thought it looked like fun when she and Liam where cheering from the bench.

"Hey you two, no whispering", Mrs. Kingston scolded them as she caught the two heads pretty close and Arizona's lips obviously moving.

"Sorry", they both said in unison.

"You know that I have to separate you if you don't stop talking." She wasn't mad at them, not in the slightest, because something like that didn't happen very often. But she had to treat them like any other kid in her class. "Now, open you books on page 22 please. Tommy, can you read the task and tell us what to do, please?"

XXX

"Hello Mrs. Robbins, hello Colonel Robbins, come in, please", Callie greeted them as she opened the front door the same afternoon. Though she was allowed to call them Barbara and Daniel, sometimes, she didn't and both Robbins' gave up telling her she was allowed to. They made sure she knew and decided to just go with whatever she was calling them. "Hi Timmy", she smiled as the little boy made one step after the other into the house. He was pretty fast on his little feet by now, being almost two years old, but he had a present in his little hands and that made him struggle.

"Hello sweetie, happy birthday. How does it feel to be eight years old?", Daniel asked, picking the girl up. Though she'd grown a lot since they first met, he was still able to pick her up and hold her in his arms and that made him happy. Whether it was his own daughter or the little Latina, it was a good feeling; one that he would miss once they didn't want that anymore which could be any day now.

"Okay", Callie shrugged.

"Just okay?"

"Not different."

"Mommy! We got an A and a golden star for our homework in math", Arizona exclaimed as she came running towards the door. After school, Liam took both girls home so they could spend all day together.

"That is so great, Dimples. How did you do that?"

"We did the extra task. Nobody else did."

"Are you trying to skip elementary school completely and go off to college?", Daniel joked.

"No, Sir", the blonde giggled. "We're smart!", she reasoned. "Oh, and I have something for you to fill out. I'll be doing a swimming class."

"Is that so?"

"Uh-huh! Mrs. Kingston said we can choose and I choose swimming."

"Choose from what, Dimples?", Barbara asked as her husband put the birthday girl down.

"We managed to get a new school project started this year. The letter will explain anything but if you have questions, you can always ask me. It's kind of my project", Liam explained.

"Well, I think that can wait. After all, it's someone's birthday today", Barbara smiled and turned to Callie. "My, I haven't seen you in what? A week? And you must have grown at least two inches."

"No", Callie chuckled.

"Are you sure?"

Callie nodded.

"Well, but you're becoming more beautiful every day", Colonel Robbins said, brushing brown long dark curls out of the girl's face.

"Did Arizona already tell you what your present is?", Barbara asked. This morning, before sending her daughter to school, Arizona was begging her to give her the present in school. She even tried to switch it with her school stuff, but Barbara caught her and made her promise not to spill anything.

"No, ma'am."

"Good girl", the woman smiled, giving her daughter an appreciative smile. "You want to unwrap it?"

"Can I?"

"If Timmy ever lets go of the first one, of course you can. It's a birthday present and today's your birthday."

"It's huuuuuge", Arizona grinned, though Callie could see that.

Daniel was holding a huge box wrapped in paper covered with turtles and the one Timmy was holding a present that was not that big. But the size didn't matter at all as the little boy mumbled a partly understandable 'For you' and holding out the present for Callie to take it just as his mom had told him.

"Thank you, Timmy."

"Open it, open it!"

"Dimples. Will you ever learn to be patient?" It seemed to Daniel that though his daughter was behaving very well at school, she had do get rid of all her energy in the afternoon. Maybe a swimming class would be the right thing.

"She has to open it, daddy. I want to know if she likes it."

Carefully untying the ribbon and handing it over to Susan to not make any mess, she finally opened her present. "You got me Narnia?", Callie asked as she held the first book of the Narnia Chronicles in her hands. "Narnia", she whispered, as she stared down at the book. She loved books, especially the ones were magic and tales where combined. Plus, Narnia hat a lion. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome, sweetie. You want to see what the other one is?"

Nodding, Callie waited until the Colonel had put the big present down on the floor. "Is it heavy?"

"Pretty heavy", Daniel assured her.

"Whoa."

"And it's something you'll need."

"Need for what?"

"You'll see", he winked at her and then looked up to the Menken's, watching Susan sneaking away while he distracted the girls, asking Arizona to help Callie unwrap the present.

When all the paper was gone, Callie eyed the present. "A suitcase?" Though it was not just any suitcase. It was the same brown as her hair and it had – of course – turtles all over it. Sea turtles to be exact.

"It has Sammy's on it!", Arizona exclaimed, referring to the movie they saw during the summer break when Susan took them to the cinema one afternoon.

"Why do I need a suitcase? Do I have to go away?", the little Latina asked, her eyes wide because she thought that she maybe had to leave her home.

"No! No, of course not, honey", Liam assured her, bending down to look her in the eyes. "Do you remember the question you had when you came home with a task about families and you had to paint a pedigree for one character in your English textbook?"

Callie nodded, though her eyes remained narrowed and her forehead was furrowed.

"And you had a question what a godmother and a godfather is, right?"

"Uh-huh." She didn't remember ever having one. But she remembered very well what Liam had told her about their position in a kid's life. And that she was scared what would happen to her just in case something would happen to Susan and Liam. Because of not having a godmother or godfather when she lost her family, she was alone until the bubbly blonde with big blue eyes came into her room. And to be honest, she didn't want to happen that a second time. "Arizona and Timmy have both."

"We know, sweetie", Barbara chimed in. "What would you say if Daniel and I would be your godfather and godmother?"

Brown eyes went wide at the question and her jaw slightly dropped. Did she hear right?

"You know, usually, the parents make the decision, because that's supposed to happen when you're born. But you are not a baby, you're eight years old now and we thought that you should make the decision", Susan said, coming back from the kitchen with the papers in her hand.

"You...you want to be my godparents?"

"Yes. If you want that too."

"Yes!", she exclaimed and fell into the awaiting arms of Barbara. "I have godparents!"

"And we have a beautiful goddaughter", Daniel said.

"Did you really think she would say no?", Liam asked, smiling at the sight of his girl.

"It was a possibility", Barbara replied.

"Mommy? Does that mean Calliope's my sister now?"

"No. Milly isn't your sister either and she's the daughter of your godmother.

"That's right", Arizona said after she did some thinking. "But I would not want Milly as my sister. But Calliope can be my sister and best friend."

Chuckling at his daughter's words, Daniel was the first to sign the paper that made him officially Calliope's godfather, and a proud one.

"But what about the suitcase?", Callie asked chewing on her bottom lip.

"Well, we thought about taking you two to Disneyland."

"Disneyland? For reals?", Arizona squealed.

"Of course, Dimples."

"Disneyland. We're going to Disneyland! Come on, Calliope. You have to pack!" The blonde rushed to her friend and was just about to drag her upstairs, as her daddy's cough made her stop.

"Dimples, slow down", Daniel chuckled. "We're going next weekend. Grandma and grandpa will watch Timmy while we're gone."

"Gwrams?", Timmy asked, looking up to his mom. To everybody's surprise, he was pretty content sitting on the ground next to his father's leg, playing with his learn cube.

"Yes baby boy, grandma."

"Gwrams", he said once again, refocusing on his toy.

"Disneyland", Callie smiled. Brown eyes flickering between Liam and Susan, the Robbins and Arizona and her new suitcase. "Disneyland and godparents." And right that second, she felt more complete than she did ever since she'd lost her family.


	11. Us against the world Part 3

AN: Another update today beccause it's Sunday and I had some time.

* * *

The doorbell rang and just a half minute later, Liam opened the door to find the Robbins' and two sound asleep girls in each pair of arms.

"Looks like that weekend even knocked out your daughter", he mused, letting the adults step in.

"Yeah. Though she fell asleep nearly an hour after Calliope, she's out like a light. We just didn't want to leave her in the car, in case she would wake up", Barbara explained, carrying her daughter.

"Why don't you just put her down here? I am sure we still have some clothes for her she can wear tomorrow. That way you get a little break as well and you don't have to get her in the car seat again, only to pick her out of it five minutes later", Liam suggested as he pulled his girl out of Daniel's arms.

"Ah, your little one has been an angel. Well, aside from singing 'Hakuna Matata' or 'The Happy Little Working Song' the whole ride back until she fell asleep, but I think it was our Dimples who started it. I think, I will hear those songs in my dreams tonight", Daniel said, making everybody laugh.

"Any nightmares?", Susan wanted to know. They didn't happen that often anymore, but they were still there and sometimes she had a really bad one. She talked to Liam about getting professional help with that, but they wanted to wait since it wasn't unusual for kids her age to have nightmares every now and then.

"Nothing. I guess she was first too excited when we arrived and then too exhausted the other night", Barbara answered as she opted whether to sit down with Arizona in her arms or to put her down on the couch. "And it really would be okay if she would stay the night?"

"Of course. I'll take them to school tomorrow bring her over afterward. I don't have any conferences tomorrow, so I think we should be back somewhat around half past one."

"She can stay for lunch too", Susan interjected. "We'll have homemade pizza and since I have the day off and Arizona loves pizza, I think they'd love that."

"Oh, Dimples would definitely love that", Daniel smiled. "Thank you."

"No. Thank you for taking Calliope away for a weekend. Even if that means you acquired a tinnitus in the tune of a lot of Disney songs."

"Right", Barbara chuckled. "Well, I guess I'll bring her upstairs then. She's getting too big for me to carry her around for hours."

"I'll come with you. Let's get our girls down for the night", Liam smiled, making his way upstairs and into Callie's room, followed by Barbara. "We really appreciate what you did and still do for her."

"It's nothing, really. We love her", the woman answered as she put her daughter down on the bed, taking off her shoes and socks.

Smiling, Liam started to shed the clothes off the little Latina as well. "She loves you too. All of you."

"We know. And we're thankful for that. She's such a precious little girl. And so smart. She read Arizona a story last night."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. And though you could hear when she struggled with the difficult words, she just took her time to make out the letters. It was pretty amazing and Arizona was so quiet. Usually she asks questions when Daniel or I read a story to her, whether they are about the story or about something that just flashed her mind that second. But she just laid in her bed and listened to Calliope."

"Well, it doesn't surprise me. They are pretty close."

"It so beautiful to see them together", Barbara sighed, carefully slipping the pajama top over the blonde's head.

"It is. And I don't think I will ever get tired to see that", Liam admitted, putting Callie down for the night after he pulled the blanket away. "They are dead to the world, aren't they?"

"They had a pretty exhausting two days. I hope you'll get them to wake up tomorrow."

"Ah, I think we'll manage that", he chuckled, waiting for Barbara to lay her girl down too and put the blanket back over their small bodies just as his wife entered the room.

"We thought they'd miss them", Susan smiled, placing Mr. and Mrs. Turtles in the middle of the girls and breathed a feather light kiss on the brunettes cheek. "They didn't wake up?"

"They didn't even flinch", Barbara answered, a smile tugging on her lips.

They left the room, making sure that the door wasn't fully closed after Liam switched off the light and made his way downstairs too were the others were sitting in the living room, talking about this and that. After a good thirty minutes, the Robbins' said their goodbye as well and left, finally heading home.

xxx

"Honey we're home!", Liam said as he opened the door. Before he could walk into his own home though, two little pair of feet were faster and inside on the way into the kitchen in the hope for pizza.

"Kitchen", Susan answered.

"Can we have pizza now?", Arizona – always being the cheeky one – asked.

"Not yet, sweetie. I got called in this morning, all hands on deck, and obviously that meant even all nurses", she explained. She was happy that she made it home in time for lunch, thanks to her fellow nurse, Lucy who spontaneous covered her shift. The girls knew that Susan was mostly working in the ER, she was supposed to have the day off and promised they would have pizza after school.

"What happened?", Liam asked as he came into the kitchen.

"Some stup- ", she stopped herself to not swear in front of the kids. "Someone thought it was funny to push the limits of his car to the max, crashed into a truck and twenty cars followed suit", she told Liam in a low voice. Car crashes were still a topic they avoided to talk about when Callie was around. "Don't they ever learn?"

"Nope. Not as long as their cars are their only fun", he said, kissing his wife's cheek.

"Can I help making the pizza?", Callie asked. Sometimes, when she was done with her homework, she just sat in the kitchen and watched in awe when Susan fixed something to eat for them. It looked so easy.

"You want to help?"

"Uh-huh", Callie nodded.

"You want to chop the mushrooms? Then you have to wash your hands first."

"Yes!", the little Latina exclaimed, already making her way to the sink to do what Susan said.

"Can I help too?", Arizona asked, immediately washing her little hands as well.

"Oh wow, so much help to make one pizza? That will be the best pizza we've ever had", Liam mused, getting a stool out of the closet for Arizona to stand on. Callie was tall enough to help chopping by now. But the blonde was just a few inches too small to work on the counter-top.

"Thank you", the little girl smiled, instantly stepping on the wooden stool. "I'm taller than you now" she grinned as she noticed that she indeed could see the top of Callie's head.

"Mhmm", Callie hummed, in her head already trying to do the math how many mushrooms she should chop for the pizza. "How many do we need? And how should I chop them?"

"Six to eight should be enough and we need them diced. You think you can do that?", Susan asked as she handed Callie a small knife.

"Uh-huh", Callie answered again, taking the first mushroom and putting it down on the cutting board in front of her. Eying everything for a good minute, she finally asked, "Maybe you can show me first?"

"Of course, sweetie", Susan smiled. It was another thing that had changed over the time she was living with them. At first, when she got rid of the cast, she tried to do everything alone. Maybe because of the missing trust or because she'd thought that she would bother her or Liam. But then she asked for help the first time. And the second time. And then she asked sooner, before trying too long. And now, when she was not sure how to reach or do something, she just asked. It was such a small thing, but it made both adults so happy. "Take another one and just do it as I do, okay?"

Nodding, Callie took a second mushroom out of the bowl and took the knife in her left hand.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

"First, you cut the mushroom in half", Susan explained, doing just what she told the Latina and then watched the girl. "Exactly like that. Then, you take one half and cut three pieces off. Then you take each piece and cut them in halves again. If you think they are too big, just make thirds out of it."

Callie's tongue peeked out between her teeth and lips as she concentrated really hard on what she was doing. "Like that?", she asked when she was done with the first half.

"Perfect", Susan smiled.

"Do you want to roll out the dough with me?", Liam asked. Though he was pretty sure, Arizona could easily just watch Callie chop the vegetables, he wanted to integrate her into their work.

"Yay", the blonde exclaimed and waited impatiently until Liam said they could start.

Placing baking paper and the rolling pin in front of the dimpled blonde, he finally put a clot of dough in the middle of it. "Do you know what we need?"

"Flour", Arizona answered, nodding her head.

"Right. Smart kid", Liam smiled, taking a box with flour out of one of the cabinets and told her to sprinkle a pinch of flour over the dough.

"What's a pinch?" Arizona asked, grabbing some of the white powder with her hand.

"Just enough that we can roll the dough, sweetie."

"That enough?"

"A little more", Liam answered, doing it himself this time. "We don't want the dough glued to the pin, do we?"

"Nu-uh. But we can roll it now, right?"

"Yes. You can flatten it first with your hand though. That will make it easier", he answered, giving the little girl something she could do without his help while he made a short glimpse to his left side where Callie was still chopping.

"Like that?"

"Good, now we can start", he said, handing the rolling pin to Arizona and placing his hands on hers to add some strength to the rolling.

"Look, Calliope!", Arizona squealed in excitement as the dough got flatter and flatter with every roll forth and back. She'd helped her mom to make cookies for Christmas last year, but she only used the cookie cutters to make little Christmas trees and angels.

Over both girls head, Liam and Susan gave each other a proud and happy smile.

"I think we have enough mushrooms now, Calliope. Do you want taste the sauce?"

"Yes!", she expressed and opened her mouth.

"Can I too?", Arizona asked, looking up from her task. With Liam's help, the dough was now as flat as they needed it.

"You got flour on you cheek", Callie giggled as she looked at her best friend.

"No!" Arizona wiped over both her little cheeks with the back of her hands and started to giggle too after a few seconds. "Oh."

"It tastes amazing, honey", Liam said after he also tried the sauce his wife had made and let Arizona have the rest from his spoon.

"What do you say, I do the rest and you go and do your homework while we have to wait. And after lunch, you can tell us all about your weekend?"

"Yay!", Arizona squealed anew, jumping off the little stool and running after Callie to grab her bag and go upstairs to get everything finished before lunch.

"These two, I don't want to know what Daniel and Barbara had to put up with over the weekend", Liam chuckled.

"I think Daniel meant it when he said, that they were completely spent after the day running around and going on the rides and everything."

"Mhmm, maybe you're right. I'll be upstairs too and prepare everything for tomorrow. I love you."

"I love you too", Susan answered, welcoming the kiss to her cheek with a smile.

"Calliope!" The blonde came running down the few stairs, her bag in her hand and her hair hanging over her shoulders in wet tresses. "Swimming class was _so_ awesome! I jumped down the tall diving tower and I was the only girl, all the other girls were afraid of the height. I can't wait for next Friday!"

"Your hair's still wet", Callie stated. She was wearing her rain clothes, with the hood over her head because well, it was in fact raining – a lot.

"It's raining anyways", Arizona grinned, shaking her head, making wet strands fly around her head.

"You'll get sick", the little Latina answered. Always being the protective one, she tried to pull the hood over her friend's head like she tried the last days too. Arizona always pulled it off or moved away though.

"No. I never get sick. I have super blood", Arizona smiled. "I jumped down the big tower, and I was not scared, I won't get sick." She felt amazing. She felt like she could actually fly.

"You'll get sick", Callie worried again.

"I won't, I promise", Arizona grinned and started to walk home. When she noticed that her friend didn't walk next to her, she turned around. "Are you coming? Swimming always makes me _so_ hungry."

"Ugh, yeah", Callie answered, shaking her head before she ran and stopped at Arizona's side.

"How was softball?"

Though Arizona had wished the whole time that Callie would choose swimming in the end as well, she didn't. Not that it wasn't an option. It was. Because Arizona would be there. But every time she wanted to tell Liam to sign her up for swimming class, she thought about her mom and volleyball. And then about Susan and softball. And when she still couldn't decide, Daniel suggested to flip a coin and that's what he did for her. Heads meant softball and tails was volleyball. And it was heads two out of three.

"Okay, I guess."

"You didn't like it?"

"No."

"Why not?", Arizona asked. She knew that look on her best friend's face. Something was wrong.

"It's nothing", the eight year old shrugged, looking at her feet making one step after the other, moving her body forwards through the rain.

"Tell me."

"No."

"Why not?"

"It's nothing."

"I don't believe you", Arizona said, sounding very much like her own father.

"It's nothing!", Callie tried to brush it off again.

"Well, then you can tell me!" Ever being the persistent one, Arizona stopped and stomped with her little foot.

"Arizona! Callie! Over here!", Barbara hollered for them, making both girls' heads shot up. She was waiting next to her car to pick up the girls so they would not have to walk all the way home when it looked like the sky was falling down.

"I wasn't good." She was not going to tell Arizona that the bigger girls had picked on her. Because for Arizona, she was still kind of a hero for telling the boys to back away. But those boys were their classmates and they didn't even listen to her until Mrs. Kingston stopped them. The girls though, they were older, taller and they told her she was not good enough because she didn't catch the ball the first and not even the second time. And then they started calling her 'teacher's kid' because some of them saw Liam pick them up. Callie didn't listen though. Her father had always told her not to let something like that get to her. But once they started talking about Arizona and how weird she was for being in third grade and being seven years old, she couldn't just let them talk. People could talk about her all day and night if they wanted to, but Callie wouldn't let them talk like that about the blonde, about her best friend. "I didn't catch the ball", she mumbled before they reached the car.

"Arizona Robbins, why is your hair all wet and why didn't you wear the hood?"

"Why don't you switch?", Arizona asked, ignoring the scolding question of her mom. It was just that easy, wasn't it?

"I can't", Callie replied as she climbed into the car.

"You can. Mrs. Kingston said we can switch on time."

"But Susan was so happy I chose softball."

Sensing that something had happened at Callie's first sports class Barbara chimed in as she made sure that both seat belts were fastened over the little bodies. "I don't know what happened, but Susan wants you to be happy, sweetie."

Sighing, the little brunette sank back into her seat, letting her head meet the headrest with a dull thud. It really didn't go that well for her, so maybe Susan would understand. Maybe she should ask. "Yeah", she huffed before she changed the topic. "Can we use the finger paint this weekend?"

"Oh yeah mommy, can we? Can we? I want beautiful and colorful windows!", Arizona exclaimed, clapping her hands, the conversation she and Callie had before almost forgotten.

"Let's ask your father about that, okay?"

"He'll say yes anyways", the blonde answered with a dimpled grin on her face.

Barbara knew that. Her husband couldn't say no to his daughter. Not if it was about something like finger paint and window painting.

xxx

"Good morning, Colonel Robbins", Callie smiled as she was standing at the front door of the Robbins house on Sunday morning. They'd spend some part of noon and the whole afternoon yesterday at the zoo where Liam and Susan took them to see the new baby apes and giraffe and the new ice bear baby and now she really wanted to paint Arizona's windows.

"Good morning Calliope", he smiled. "Did you come over to play with Arizona?"

"Yes. We want to paint her windows today. I promised I would make a turtle and butterflies for her."

"She told me about that last night. But I think you can't do that today."

"Why not?", the little girl asked, tilting her head to the left, brown hair blowing freely with the strong wind.

"Arizona's sick. She's having a fever."

"But she was fine yesterday." Callie didn't understand. Yesterday, they'd run around and laughed and giggled and nothing had been wrong with her best friend.

Crouching down to lift up the little girl's head, he said, "I know. She woke up in the night because she was not feeling that well. And it's gotten worse ever since. She'll be okay in a few days though. It's nothing too serious. Just a flu attack. It might finally teach her not to run around in the rain and get all wet during fall and not wearing a hood."

"Can I see her? I feel better when Arizona's with me and she said she feels better with me too."

Daniel thought about his answer for a moment. It was nothing too serious and the possibility was that Callie already had it in her body if his daughter caught it somewhere else. "Of course. Just be quiet, okay? She's asleep and she needs to rest. She had a hard night."

"I won't wake her, I promise", Callie answered, heading off for the stairs.

"Was that Calliope?", Barbara asked.

"Yes."

"Dimples is sick."

"I know."

"She might get it as well."

"I'll call Susan and tell her about it. If she says the girl can stay I won't keep her away from Dimples. You know they are miserable without each other", he joked.

"Okay. I'll take Timmy to your parents. He just had a cold and I don't want him to get sick again", Barbara informed her husband and placed a kiss on his cheek. The doctor told them that their son had a higher risk of infection. His immune system was not as good as it should be by now but they wanted to wait a year or two and see if it would change on its own before they pumped him full with vitamins and pills.

"Yeah, that would be the best for him", he answered, already calling the Menken's landline. And once Susan gave her go and he made sure Callie was allowed to stay, he hung up and went upstairs too. Nearing his daughter's bedroom, the little Latina's voice reached his ear and when he opened the door, he saw her sitting next to Arizona's bed, a book in her hand.

"When you have reached your fifteenth year, you will have per-permis-sion", the brunette struggled just a little bit, "to rise up out of the sea, to sit on the rocks in the moonlight, while the great ships are sailing by; and then you will see both forests and towns."

The creaking of the door made Callie look up.

"I am reading her The little mermaid. It's one of her favorites."

"That's very nice of you, Calliope", Daniel answered, utterly mesmerized how soft Callie's voice sounded while she was reading out loud. "Do you want something to drink? I called Susan and Liam to tell them that Arizona is sick. But they said it would be okay for you to stay a little while."

"Thank you", she answered, looking back down at the book in her hand. "Can I read some more? It won't wake her."

"Of course you can. I'll leave you to it. If you want anything, I'll be in the living room, okay?", he said, brushing his fingers through dark brown hair before he left the room.

"Okay", he heard her say, before she continued with the story. "In the following year, one of the sisters would be fifteen: but as each was a year younger than the other, the youngest would have to wait five years before her turn came to rise up from the bottom of the ocean...", she read aloud in a pretty good space.

There was something magical about the girl reading to his daughter. He saw it the first time when they've been to Disneyland and since then, it happened one night they had a sleepover at the Robbins' house. Callie was getting better and better at reading out loud and Arizona even fell asleep that time. But witnessing what the Latina was doing right now, it almost took his breath away. Sometimes he found himself wondering what would have been if they hadn't met or if the rest of their friendship hadn't happened the way it did until now. But every time he failed to come up with an answer because the picture of two smiling and happy girls always mixed up his thoughts and he wouldn't have it any other way.

xxx

With a soft knock on her daughter's door, Barbara stepped in. After little over an hour they started to wonder what Callie was doing upstairs because they didn't hear any sound coming out of Arizona's room. Daniel mused that she was probably reading the third book by now or that she fell asleep, but when Barbara opened the door, she found Callie standing at the window, the pots with the finger paint neatly ordered on the windowsill.

"Calliope?"

The little girl spun around on her heels and Barbara had to hold back her laughter. The Latina's face and clothes were full of paint. Blue dots splattered across her forehead. One large stripe of red color covered her cheek and there was green practically everywhere even in her beautiful silky hair. "Sweetie, what did you do?"

"I kept my promise and gave Arizona a turtle and butterflies", she answered with a big smile on her face. Looking back to the window, she dipped her finger into the green paint again and continued to fill out the fins of the turtle.

"You did this all alone?" Barbara asked. Of course she knew that the girl did it all by herself, still she couldn't get over it. Though Arizona was still asleep, Callie didn't leave her daughter's room but instead painted her windows. And the even more stunning part was, that it looked really good. Not that Callie's drawings were bad, quite the opposite actually, but she knew very well that there was a huge different between a pen and finger paint.

Suddenly stopping again, Callie turned around to look at Barbara with a worried face. "It was not right, was it? I should have asked before I-"

But she was stopped before she could finish her sentence by Barbara who wrapped her arms around her. "No. It's perfect. Dimples will love it. But next time, ask for a gown because I don't know how I should explain your ruined clothes to Susan", the woman chuckled. "And we have to clean you up before you can go home."

"But I am not finished."

"You're not?"

"No. There are only five butterflies and Arizona said she wants seven because she's seven years old. And the turtle is not finished too. Can I finish before I have to go home?"

Big brown eyes looked up to her and it was all it took to melt Barbara's heart all over again. "Of course you can finish", she smiled. "Do you want some help?"

"Uhm...can you make a butterfly up there?", Callie asked, pointing to a spot on the window she was not able to reach. "One that's flying _sooo_ high? And a sun? Because butterflies always fly when it's sunny."

"Of course I can do that, sweetie." Dipping her finger in one of the pots too, she started with the butterfly Callie requested. Every once in a while, she looked down at the little girl who was taking her time to finish her work with an amount of patience and precision. There had been so much progress from when they were colouring almost two years back and the drawing Callie made then of her and Arizona that was still framed on her daughter's wall, to what Callie could do now. Her animals were great. Still childlike, but so sweet. And while her daughter could still spend hours with colouring, Callie drew her own pictures. And practice made perfect.

"Is this room some kind of a black hole or why do all my favorite girls keep disappearing once they enter this room?", Daniels asked as he came to look for his wife, Callie and his daughter, though he focused on the latter and didn't even notice the two of them painting the window.

"No, darling", Barbara chuckled. "I'm just helping Calliope."

"Helping her?" he asked, then he looked up as he felt Arizona stir a little because of his hand softly placed on her forehead. "The fever is going down already."

"That's good. She always sleeps it off", Barbara answered with a smile. Their kids were so different when it came to sickness. Her son always had a hard time and Arizona was most likely to sleep it off within one or two days.

Sitting down beside his daughter, he leaned in and whispered to his awaking daughter: "Dimples, I think you should see that."

Blue eyes fluttered open and close again a few times before she managed to keep them open. She looked still a little tired and was slightly paler than usual, but she looked better than the night before.

"Look over to your window", he whispered.

Turning her head to the left and rubbing her eyes, she first saw her mom, then Calliope and finally she recognized what they were doing. Her eyes went wide and sparkled at the realization. "Butterflies!", she squealed.

"You woke up!", Callie squealed too as she saw Arizona sitting in her bed. "Do you feel better?"

"Yeah."

Walking over to her best friend, Callie smiled. "I kept my promise. I made you a turtle."

"I wonder how you managed to still get some of the paint onto the window", Daniel chuckled as he saw the front of Callie's clothes and her face.

"I love it. Thank you!", Arizona reached out for her best friend and pulled heragainst her own little body before Daniel's 'Dimples, don't' could stop her. As they parted, Arizona's pj's were slightly green too, making everybody laugh. "Mommy, I am hungry."

"That's good. I have my super magic chicken soup waiting for you."

"Yay!" It was one of Arizona's favorite and it was almost worth being sick. "Can Calliope eat with us?"

"I think Calliope has to take a bath first", Daniel laughed. But I think she can eat with us after that."

"Yaay", the little blonde exclaimed again, feeling indeed better after she slept almost all day. And of course because of the turtle and the butterflies that covered her window now.


	12. Us against the world Part 4

AN: I'm super late this time, I know. But you'll get a new chapter every day from today to Sunday, promised!

* * *

„Good night, Calliope", Susan said when she tugged Calliope in for the night.

"Susan?", the little girl started, sitting up again and revealing a bright red pajama top underneath the blanket that looked like a night sky.  
The softball thing hadn't changed. The girls were still mean to her and somehow she still struggled to catch the balls and that gave her a bad feeling in her tummy. But now, five weeks later she could at least say that she'd tried and gave her best. But as the woman sitting on the edge of her bed watched her, she didn't say anything.

"Something is bothering you, am I right?"

Looking up from the blanket, big dark brown eyes met warm gray ones. "Yes", Callie sighed.

"You know, you can tell me everything", Susan assured her and cupped the Latina's cheek with a soft hand.

"It's…", she tried, but didn't finish to say her thoughts out loud.

"Calliope, what is wrong? I've noticed the change in you. If Liam or I did something wrong, you have to tell us. And if it is anything else, you can tell me as well."

"Idon'tlikesoftball", Callie mumbled in one breath and so fast, it was not understandable.

"What did you say?"

Taking a deep breath, her eyes focused on her hands fidgeting with the blanket, she said again, "I don't like softball. I am not good at it."

"That's it?"

"Yeah?", the girl asked, not sure what that meant. "Now you're mad, right?"

"Mad? Why would I be –", and then she stopped. "You thought I'd be mad or disappointed in you because you don't like softball as much as I do." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"You're mad and disappointed?", the girl asked.

"No, sweetie", she quickly replied, stroking some dark curls out of the girl's face. "I am not mad nor am I disappointed in you. Why would I? You are such a smart, lovely and polite girl and we love you, no matter what. And just because I love softball doesn't mean you have to like it too."

"It doesn't?" Callie looked up to her again.

"No. We are different. Liam doesn't like softball, but he likes cheering for me", she smiled.

"I like that too!"

"See, so, in a way you like softball, you just don't like to play it and that's completely okay with me. You don't have to do everything the way we do. Maybe you grow up and want to be a nurse or a teacher too, but maybe you don't. But that would never change the way we see you or how much we love you."

"You think I can be a nurse too?", Calliope asked in awe. Sometimes when Susan was talking about her work she couldn't stop listening, particularly when Susan was talking about a patient's bones. She had a thing for bones since her arm had been broken two years ago.

"Sweetie, I think you can be anything you want. You can be a painter if you want to. For some professions you have to learn and study hard, for others you'd need talent. But for whichever you'll settle in the end, what counts for us is that you're happy. And the same goes for sport. You don't have to stay in your softball class if you really don't want to."

"I really don't want to", the girl said.

"Well, what do you want to do instead? You want to go swimming like Arizona?" It wouldn't surprise them if one of the girls would switch sooner or later. And though Arizona admired Calliope for almost everything she could do, the blonde loved being in the water way too much to switch, so it made sense to her that Callie would ask for it.

"I think I want to play volleyball."

"Like your mom?"

She nodded, looking at the picture of her parents and sister on her nightstand. "And like my sister. She played too."

"Not swimming?"

"No…it's always so wet", the little brunette giggled.

"Well, it's water", Susan chuckled.

"Somebody's still awake?"

"Yeah. We had something to talk about."

"Did something happen?"

"Nothing. Do you think you can sleep now?", she asked Callie.

"Yeah. Thank you, Susan", Callie smiled, placing a kiss on Susan's cheek and getting one in return.

"Good night, sweetie", the adults whispered in unison and left the room.

"Will you tell me what that was all about?" Liam asked as they made their way downstairs.

"It was nothing", she brushed it off. "Oh, can you fill out that switching note when you're going to school tomorrow? Calliope's switching from softball to volleyball."

"She is?"

Susan just smiled and nodded.

"Oooookay."

xxx

Opening the front door, Barbara welcomed the Menken's and the little Torres girl into their home. It was Thanksgiving and like so many times before, the family's decided to celebrate that day together and Arizona's grandparents would be there too. "What are you feeding her? She's getting more beautiful every day", Barbara chuckled at the girl in front of her.

"Where's Arizona?", Callie asked immediately. Normally, her best friend was already waiting for her at the door when she knew she was coming.

"Upstairs. Daniel's trying to talk to her."

"She's still not talking to him?", Liam asked.

"No more than she has to. And he's leaving soon after dinner."

"I thought she'd cooled down by now."

"Well, she's a Robbins through and through. And I can partly understand her. She's a daddy's girl, always has been. And we've always managed somehow to not be separated from each other for more than a week or two. But now, with Arizona going to school, that has changed. Of course we could move too, but what's the sense in moving a whole family and taking her out of school for eight weeks only to move back after that? It's not like he's going to be away for years."

"But she's still going to miss him", Susan nodded.

"And afraid that he won't make it back."

"Is there a possibility?", Liam wanted to know.

"A pretty small one. He's not going to be out in the field. But sometimes, things happen."

"How do you handle it? I know you thought you were done with that too", Susan asked.

"I knew what I signed myself up for when I married a marine and then again when we talked about having a family. Semper fi isn't just a slogan for them, they live that way. Once a marine, always a marine. And when you're needed, you don't think about it, you pack your bag and you leave", Barbara sighed. "Some families always move with their husbands and daddies. But I don't want that anymore. I am so happy that Timmy is in daycare now and that Arizona has Calliope."

"Can I go upstairs?", Callie asked, interrupting the conversation of the adults.

"Of course, sweetie. Can you tell them dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes?"

"Sure", the little brunette smiled, making her way upstairs and to Arizona's room. She knew very well her best friend was mad. But she didn't know why.

"Arizona", the brunette could hear Daniel's voice.

"No!", came the stubborn sound of Arizona's response.

"Dimples..."

"No! You're leaving me!"

Callie opened the door and saw the blonde sitting on her bed in a light pink dress, her blonde curls framing her face that was turned away from her father, looking straight at her bedroom door. Seeing Callie standing there, she smiled with her dimples on full force. But once her father tried to say something, that smile faltered.

"Hello, Calliope." The soft smile on Daniel's face gave away that it was hard to see his daughter acting like that. And though Callie was too young to be able to read this subtlety, she saw that his smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Hello, Colonel Robbins. Barbara said I should tell you, dinner is ready in fifteen minutes."

"Thank you. Will you come down for dinner, Dimples?"

"Yes", the blonde mumbled.

Sighing, he got up and left the room and patted the little Latina's head on his way out.

"Why are you mad at your dad? He's only doing his job", the little brunette reasoned, sitting down beside her best friend. That's what Susan and Liam said to her as they heard about Daniel's call.

"Because he's leaving me", the blonde sobbed.

"He will come back. He said he's coming back."

"But sometimes soldiers don't come back", Arizona said, tears now spilling from her blue eyes.

"But he's your dad! He's going to come back. You said, he's a hero."

"He is." Arizona said, wiping her eyes with her hands. "He saved two men and got a medal for it."

"See! He's a hero. Hero's always come back to protect their families."

"You sure he's going to come back?"

"He will always come back to his family", Callie smiled. "And while he's gone, you can borrow Liam. He's a good daddy too."

"But I want my daddy."

"I won't leave you, Dimples", Daniel said. He came up again to get the girls down for dinner. "I'm always coming back to you."

"DADDY!", the blonde burst out and jumped into the man's arms. "I love you, daddy."

Smiling, Daniel stroke over his daughter's head. He didn't hear everything Callie said to his daughter, but she managed what neither his wife nor he were able to do.

"You're my hero daddy, so you gonna come back, right?"

"Always, Dimples. I have to see you grow up and become a surgeon."

"Will you be at my first swimming competition? I won't swim when you're not there."

"I promise to be there, baby girl. I wouldn't miss it for a dinner with the president", he reassured her. "Now, go, wash your hands. Dinner's ready."

"Yes Sir, Colonel Daddy, Sir", the blonde smiled, made a beeline out of her room for the bathroom.

"Do you want to wait for her or come downstairs with me?"

"I'll come with you", the little girl grinned.

Making their way downstairs where Susan, Liam and Barbara were waiting for them.

"Is she coming down?"

"Yes."

"You're smiling. What happened?", Barbara asked as she made sure that Timmy was sitting safely in his high chair.

"I don't know. You have to ask little miss sunshine here", Daniel answered and suddenly, all eyes were on the only Latina in the room.

"Daaadddyyyy", Arizona came running down. "I washed my hands!"

No one could hold back the laughter as they sat down around the table and Arizona didn't seem to stop talking about everything that happened over the last week, because she hadn't talked to her father for almost six days.

"Can I say grace?" Callie asked as everybody was filling their plates with turkey, salad, beans and potatoes.

"You want to say grace?"

"We always said grace before we ate...especially on Thanksgiving."

Looking at Calliope, Daniel took his daughter little hand in his and smiled at the brunette. "Of course you can say grace."

Taking the other hand of Arizona and Susan's, Callie closed her eyes. That's how her mother had always done it. "Dear Lord, I thank you for giving me a new home and that they love me. And for giving me the best friend in the whole world. We're thankful for the dinner you gave us and the love you let us share", she said. Trying to remember everything her mother has always said during grace. "I thank you for letting me switch from softball to volleyball and for not making me stupid. Am-" She was just about to say 'amen', but then she changed her mind. "Can you bring Colonel Daniel Robbins safely back home? Thank you. Amen."

"Amen", everybody else said. The blonde wearing one of the biggest smiles she could muster and the adult women fighting against their tears.

"That was very sweet, Calliope. Thank you."

"You're welcome! Now we can eat", she grinned, picking up some beans with her fork and stuffing her mouth with them.

XXX

Hugging his daughter tight, Daniel said to his oldest child: "Dimples, you'll be a good girl for mommy while I am gone, do you hear me?"

"Yes, daddy."

"I try to be home for Christmas, but if I can't you're not going to give mommy a hard time. You'll spend Christmas with Calliope, the Menken's your brother and mother."

"I promise, daddy", the blonde replied.

"That's my girl", he smiled and got up from his knees and straightened out his uniform. "I'll call as soon as I can."

"We're going to miss you", Barbara said, trying to stay strong for her daughter, her son already asleep in her arms.

"I'm going to miss you too." Kissing his wife's lips and placing a soft kiss on Timmy's forehead, he made a step towards the door.

"I'm going to miss you too, Colonel Robbins", Callie said.

"Oh sweetie, I'll miss you too. Will you keep an eye on Arizona for me? Make sure she's wearing the hood or a cap after swimming class?"

"I promise", the little Latina smiled, holding her hand over her heart.

"Thank you. I have to go now."

"Bye daddy. Be a hero, because hero's always come back", the blonde sniffed.

"I love you, Dimples.

"I love you too, daddy.

"And I love you too", Barbara smiled, getting another kiss as a reward.

"I'll be back in eight weeks." And then, he stepped out into the chilly night, leaving his family behind for two months.


	13. This is my home

**Chapter 3 – This is my home**

„Hey Callie, there's a visitor for you", Ruby said as she just opened the door to exit the locker room.

"There is?"

"You know, it's still weird to hear them call you Callie", came Arizona's response as she entered the room and closed the door, a big smile plastered on her face.

"I like it."

"Well, I like that I still get to call you Calliope. But why are you still wearing your street clothes? Your whole team is already out on the court, ready to kick ass, _Captain Torres_", she asked, emphasizing the last two words.

"Uhm…" Being thirteen years old now, her body was changing, growing, blooming. And she felt uncomfortable getting undressed in front of other people. She didn't want them to look at her, because where her team mates were still those skinny girls, she was getting hips and ass. "Don't call me Captain, Arizona", she tried to switch the topic. She was nervous as hell– and even that was an understatement. It was her first match as the team leader and to top it all off, their coach called in sick yesterday and gave her the instructions.

"But, that's what you are", the blonde argued, pointing at the shirt that was hanging behind Callie with her surname written in capital letters on the back and the large '1' under it. "_Captain Torres."_

"Junior Captain and now enough of that", Callie laughed. "What are you doing here anyway? I thought you'd be waiting with Susan and Liam and watching the cheerleaders."

"Ugh, they are boring. And, I wanted to wish you good luck", Arizona chirped. "Do you want me to leave?"

Callie thought about it for a moment. Changing in front of Arizona was not giving her the same feelings as changing in front of her team. After all, they still had sleepovers and most of the time, they fell asleep laying in the same bed. "No, you can stay." Turning around before she lifted her shirt over her head, the Latina didn't see the blue eyes that were scanning the tanned skin of her back.

Of course, the blonde noticed the changes too and looking down her own body, she pouted and huffed. There were no visible changes going on until now, at least not below her chest. And even the slight swelling of her breasts was not worth talking about, yet.  
"Do you want me to braid your hair?", Arizona asked. It had grown so long that it reached now below the middle of the brunette's back. Though she normally let it just flow over her shoulders in its natural waves, she always tied it back during sports class and games.

"That would be nice."

"So, you ready to kick some butts, Captain Torres?", she asked, brushing her fingers through the long thick hair.

"Arizona…"

"Sorry. It's just so great! I'd like to be captain."

"Too bad there are no captains needed in swimming competitions, huh?"

"Well, yeah. But this way, I can concentrate on cheering for you", Arizona answered, finishing her work with the brunette's hair_. _"All done."

"Thanks." She turned around to face the blonde. "How do I look?"

"Pretty good, captain."

Callie just rolled her eyes. "You're not stopping, are you?"

"No, Captain Torres."

"Okay, I'm giving up."

"Yo, Callie, you ready?", Ruby burst through the door, making Arizona smile. She was so proud of her best friend.

"Ugh, yeah. I'll be there in a minute."

"Okay, we're getting warmed up already."

"Perfect."

"I'll better get back to Liam and Susan", the blonde said as Ruby left the locker again. "To cheer as loud as I can."

"Don't distract my team", Callie joked.

"So, now it _is_ your team?", Arizona smirked. "Don't worry, I'll behave." She waited a moment while Callie adjusted her kneepads around her ankles, so they wouldn't annoy her when she was running a few rounds to get her muscles all warm and ready. Once Callie stood upright again, she pulled her in for a hug, like they always did when one of them was having a match or competition. This time though, the dimpled girl placed a chaste kiss on Callie's cheek and whispered a soft 'good luck', before she backed away and left the locker.

Staring wide eyed at the retreating form of her blonde best friend, Callie's hand was drawn to her own cheek like a screw to a magnet. Did Arizona just kiss her cheek? Closing her eyes, she could still feel one of the softest touches ever placed on her skin, so it must have been real. She shook her head and took a deep breath before she left the locker as well.

Steppinog out onto the court, she took another deep breath, letting the scent of the gym fill her nostrils. "Ready to win?", she asked her team, receiving nods from seven different girls. "Okay, Laura, Pheebs, Lily, you're on position 4, 3 and 2. Ruby and Poppy, you're in the back with me", Callie gave the instructions Coach Tunder had given her during their last practice. "Jo, Julie, bench for now."

"You're going to serve first?"

Looking over to Arizona and her foster parents, all three giving her the thumbs up, she nodded. "Yes. If that is okay with you?"

"Of course it is, Calliope", Ruby grinned, knowing very well that Callie hated being called by her first name.

Since a boy in class had made fun of her name, she chose to be called Callie. Only Susan, Liam and the whole Robbins family was allowed to call her Calliope, mostly because Arizona refused to call her Callie and the Latina was used to it. But when she introduced herself now, she said her name was Callie.

"Ready to win your first match as a captain, Callie?", Pheebs, whose name was actually Phoebe, asked. Of all the girls, she played for the longest time, had even been in the run for being team leader as well, but the coach thought Callie would be the better one.

"So ready", she answered, giving all of them a wide smile with super white teeth.

"Heads or tails?", the referee asked her.

"Tails!" Ever since she'd switched from softball to volleyball all those years ago, her answer was always tails. Today it was no difference. One flip of the coin later, she could choose side or serve and she chose to make the first move.

"Oh my God, she's going to play first!", Arizona exclaimed as she saw her best friend taking in her position, bouncing the ball every few seconds. She was sitting right beside Susan, kept her finger's crossed and it seemed that with every bounce the ball made, her feet did the same.

It was kind of a ritual for Callie, though. She had to feel the movement of the ball, the slight slide along her palm so it spun in the air, to make a good serve.

"Show them what you got, Callie", Jo and Julie cheered from the bench.

Once the sound of the whistle echoed from the walls, she counted 'uno, dos, tres' in her head and threw the ball in the air for the first time, her body was on fire. Hitting the soft leather almost perfectly, she watched as it made its way over the net and only two seconds later she could hear the loud thud as it hit the ground because none of the opponents had been able to take her serve.

xxx

"Mom, Dad!?", Arizona yelled as she came home after Callie's match, her best friend walking through the door right behind her, her sports bag lazily hung over her right shoulder.

"Arizona!" Waving one of his school books in his hand, dirt covert Timmy came running towards his big sister. "Hi Calliope", the boy grinned. "Arizona! I got an A in the dictation!" He was very proud because it was the first time and he just had to tell his big sister. He would have done it yesterday, but his grandparents picked him up right after school to spent the day with them.

"That's great, big boy!", the blonde beamed. "Do you know where everybody is? Is dad already back?"

"Backyard. Daddy's repairing the ladder of the tree house and mommy's working with her flowers."

Both girls chuckled at the boy's explanation.

"Timmy, is you sister back alre- Ah, I knew I heard your voice. How did the match go?"

"Mom, you should have seen it. Calliope ruled the whole court. None of the other team's girls could hold a candle to her and our team. She made the first six points in a row only with her serves!"

"I think you got yourself a number one fan", Barbara chuckled as she listened to her daughter going on and on about Callie's serves and the slam's the Latina had made this Saturday afternoon. "Do you want to take a shower before we're starting with the BBQ? Where are Susan and Liam?"

"They will be here in about half an hour. Susan said she wanted to go to the hospital and check on a patient they had to rush into an emergency surgery yesterday. A kid, that came into the ER after a car crash."

"Mhmm, she always gets like that when there's a kid involved and a car crash."

"Yeah. She says they remind her of me. She said, the girl's parents are in a coma, so she's practically alone too."

"Understandable", Barbara nodded. "Arizona, will you help your brother getting a little cleaned up? I don't know how he does it, but every time he comes back after a soccer practice, he looks like he took a bath in mud, whether it's raining or not."

"Yeah, come on, big boy." She was about to go upstairs, as her father entered the living room.

"Do you not want to say hi to your father?", Daniel asked. He had been away again, three months this time. It happened every year about two or three times, depending on how long he has been away the first two times. And it was always hard for Arizona to watch her dad walk away from them, but she learned to handle it better. And when she got older, she understood why they didn't want to move around all the time and she was even more than relieved they didn't.

"Dad!" Rushing over to him, she relaxed in his tight embrace. "It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back", he replied. "You've grown, Dimples. At least two inches. Your grades are still good?"

"Of course, Colonel."

"And swimming is going well?"

"You know it, dad", she grinned.

"That's my girl."

"But you missed Calliope's first match as a captain!"

"Captain?", he asked, looking at the brunette who was still standing in the living room doorway.

"Yeah! She got the position because we're now in the last class of Junior High."

"Congratulations", Daniel said. "And I assume you won?"

"She nailed it, daddy!"

"Language, Dimples."

"Sorry, dad. But she was amazingly awesome!"

Scratching her head in discomfort and hiding her face before anyone would notice the blush that appeared on her cheeks and around her nose, Callie only said, "Uhm…about that shower..?"

"Of course sweetie. You know where everything is."

She knew, indeed. She could live here and sometimes, it felt like she did live here. She'd never stopped being polite, always asked before she did anything?, but there was no hesitation before she asked. And when she spent the night and Arizona's parents were out, she just helped herself, because the Robbins' insisted she'd do so. And there was no way she would object her godparents.

"Thanks."

xxx

"I can't believe you still have that old framed picture on your shelf", Callie chuckled as her eyes drifted away from the TV-Screen in Arizona's room and she noticed her drawing in front of the blonde's books. They were lying on Arizona's bed, their upper bodies propped up against the wooden headboard and both with a pillow behind their backs.

"Huh?", the blonde asked, not paying attention. It was too comfortable to be curled up next to her best friend's body and her favorite DVD playing.

"And I can't believe that you still get all consumed by that movie."

"I am not…", she protested. "Okay, maybe I am. But it's so beautiful."

"Of course it is, it's a Disney movie."

"And she's so gorgeous", Arizona answered. Most of the time, 'The Little Mermaid' was Arizona's movie of choice.

"She's a Disney princess", Callie stated, already knowing what was about to come.

"Still, it would be more awesome if her best friend was a turtle. They'd both be green."

"You're just saying that all the time because you don't like Flounder."

"Well, he's annoying."

"He isn't. He's just scared."

"Of everything!", Arizona tried to reason.

"Just because you've always been a little daredevil", Callie answered and nipped the blonde's side, making her squeal.

"Don't do that!"

"Because you're ticklish?", Callie played.

"Yes, Calliope, and you know it."

"And you know that I don't like to be called captain, and you still did it."

"That's-"

"Not different", the Latina interrupted her. "So, why do you still have that picture?"

"Because you made it for me", Arizona shrugged, looking up into the brunette's soft brown eyes from her position.

"Yeah, but I painted your windows as well and the turtle and butterflies are long gone", Callie said.

"Because I am not seven years old anymore. But that picture, it's special to me."

"But why? It looks like…for a lack of a better word, crap."

"It doesn't. And I don't keep it because you were the best painter when you were six years old", the blonde giggled. Really, what Callie did now during art lessons, it was incredible. And sometimes, Arizona found herself watching her best friend and the way she moved the pencil in her hand."

"Why then?", she couldn't believe she never asked her that.

"It's a promise."

"A promise?", Callie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That day, you promised me to be my best friend forever."

"And I'll make sure to keep that promise", she smiled.

"You say that now. But just in case you forget your promise, I will show you this and remind you", Arizona said matter-of-factly and turned her head back to the TV-screen as she heard the start of 'Part of your world' coming through the speakers, and snuggled herself some more into Callie's arm.

"You won't have to make use of it…", Callie said, felt the blonde exhaling a sigh of relieve and returned her focus on the TV as well.

XXX

xxx

Three weeks, two victories and one loss after Callie's first match as team leader, and even one swimming competition that Arizona didn't win later, the girls were completely engaged in their homework. Well, one was engaged. Callie sat at Arizona's desk, biology book opened on page 125, pens with different colors and her exercise book in front of her. Arizona on the other hand was lying on her stomach on the floor of her child's room, her head propped by her left hand and with the other hand she was doodling away.

"I can't believe we have to do this again", the blonde sighed.

"Again? It's the first time we're learning anything about bone structure."

"I didn't mean biology. Though I really don't understand why you are so thrilled with bones and muscles."

She turned around to face her best friend. "They are...so fascinating. They protect our organs. Without them, you couldn't stand tall. You couldn't sit, you couldn't even twirl your locks between your fingers the way you always do when you're doing homework or writing a test", Callie teased.

"Stop watching me!", Arizona pouted.

"I don't. At least not on purpose. It's just hard to miss", the Latina answered with a giggle. "But seriously, what did you mean?"

"'What do you see when you picture your future'", Arizona copied the voice of their English teacher, making Callie laugh. "It's not like we're going to college next week. And my dream hasn't change since I was five years old."

"Maybe you always knew that you want to be a surgeon, but others their dreams might have changed."

"Yours did", the dimpled girl grinned.

"It did. My first essay said that I want to have a family", Callie answered. She wrote it in second grade, when she was already living with the Menken's but somehow she still felt like she didn't belong there. That changed though once the adoption papers were signed. "The second one...I think that was the one where I wanted to be a singer or an actor."

"Well, what do you want to be now?"

"To be honest? I don't know."

"Really? What happened to becoming a teacher like Liam?", Arizona teased.

"No way! Have you seen the boys in our class and how they treat Mrs. Blake? Ha, to hell with being a teacher!"

Arizona rolled on her back, lying as a spread eagle and laughing out loud. It was true though. Kids were cruel and apart from a few exceptions, kids their age were not only cruel, but disrespectful and rude as well.

"You know màma was a lawyer and pàpa was a business man through and through. But law school seems so...impossible."

"Nothing is impossible, Calliope. You know you're smart. You always get the best grades in our class. But maybe you can be a surgeon as well. After all, you get the things with the bones."

"You don't?"

"No. Why do they even make a difference between long bones, short bones and flat bones?", she huffed and rolled back on her stomach, pointing out the picture in the book.

"For wanting to be a surgeon you really don't find it interesting at all." Callie let the book fall down so it landed next to the one that was still opened in front of the blonde. "Scoot over", she said and got first down on her knees and finally on her stomach, lying next to the blonde and nudging her with her shoulder.

"Whoa! Nobody said something about me going to be an Orthopedic surgeon", Arizona exclaimed in shock. Callie just laughed and shook her head.

"I can help you, you know?"

"Please", she sighed.

"Okay, look here..." the Latina started to explain to Arizona everything she got from the texts she read about bone structure and bone growth. Every time she looked to her right, she saw Arizona playing with her hair and a concentrated look on her face, with her forehead slightly furrowed. "Got it?"

"Yes...?", the blonde asked slowly.

"Really?"

"No", the blonde exhaled with and audible sigh. "I am sorry."

"Don't be. What's the problem?"

"The sesamoid bones. I know Mr. Arlen told us about them, but he could have talked Chinese or Spanish as well. Well, Spanish would explain why you get it and I don't."

Ignoring the blonde's comment about her being stupid, because that's what she said between the lines, she continued with her explanation, moving her finger along the pictures as she did so. "Those are bones embedded in tendons. They act to hold the tendon further away from the joint. The angle of the tendon is increased and thus the leverage of the muscle is increased. Like the-"

"Patella", Arizona interrupted her best friend.

"Right. See, that wasn't so hard."

"Easy for you to say, brainy", Arizona teased, leaning her head against the Latina's shoulder. "How do you know all that?"

"I...I may or may not have googled it."

"Swot! Seriously though, you should think about going to med school after college."

"Maybe", Callie shrugged. "I don't know. There's still so much time left to make the decision. Right now, I just want to keep my grades and play volleyball."

"I want that too. And I want to win the next swimming competition."

"You think you can beat Samantha?" That was the girl who beat Arizona the last time, making the blonde second after her.

"You bet I will. It was one damn hundredth. Will you be there watching me kick her ass on Sunday?"

"Nowhere else I'd rather be", Callie smiled. They always cheered for each other. It was like they were each other's lucky charm. Last time, when Arizona didn't win, Callie had a match of her own and it was as well the one she and her team lost. It was like destiny was telling them to be always there for each other.

xxx

Five minutes passed without one of them saying a word. Callie's eyes focused back on the picture of a bone in her book, the blonde's head still resting on her shoulder, moving with every breath her friend took. It calmed her. Callie's breath was always so steady and soothing in a way.

"Did you know that Victoria already has a boyfriend?", Arizona asked practically out of nowhere, startling the Latina. The girl she was talking about didn't pass last year to go to Senior High and had to attend the last class of Junior High again, so now, she was in their class.

"How do you know?"

"I saw them walking hand in hand a few times and one afternoon, when I waited for you after swimming, I saw them kissing. Yikes", she gulped.

"Never thought of kissing a boy?"

"No. Boys are...well...yikes", she said anew. "Except for our families. But I wouldn't kiss Timmy, my father or Liam like that either. So, yeah. Boys are yikes."

Callie couldn't hold back her laughter. "So, you don't want to know how it feels to kiss a boy?"

"No! Do you?"

"I don't know", Callie shrugged. "It has to feel good, right? Our parents wouldn't do it if they thought it was yikes."

"I guess not...", the blonde said. "Still, I don't see myself kissing a boy."

"It can change one day to another. Maybe you're too young."

"Oh, don't act like you're the old and wise one, Calliope. You're little over a year older than me and up until now, you haven't said that you want to kiss a boy either."

"Because I don't. I am curious but that does not mean I want to kiss just any boy. Your first kiss is supposed to be special and your foot has to flip."

"Did you just kinda quote 'Princess Diary'?"

"Maybe."

"You so did!", Arizona exclaimed with a big grin on her face. She was always happy when Callie did things like that. It was something she started to do for her and through the years, the Latina just kept that little game going. Sometimes they'd just throw Disney quotes in the air during a normal conversation, making it impossible for outsiders to get what they were talking about.

"There's no hiding from you when it comes to Disney quotes, is there?"

"Nope. Never", Arizona grinned. "But, beside of the flipping foot thing...are you curious?"

"Curious?"

"What a kiss feels like..."

"Uhm...yeah?", Callie said, her heart beating faster in her chest, trying to compensate her sudden nervousness.

"Do you...uhm...want to try?", Arizona asked, looking straight into Callie's brown eyes.

"With you?"

"Yeah?" She watched Callie chewing on her bottom lip as she tried to think it through. "Because...I am curious too", she admitted.

"Okay", the Latina exhaled. There was nothing wrong with it, right? Arizona was her best friend and she couldn't point out any other person in the world she trusted more. But she was nervous. Her thoughts were running ten miles a minute and with every passing second, it just got worse. "Uhm...now?"

"Yeah", Arizona breathed, looking away from Callie. Suddenly, she cursed herself for suggesting a thing like that. It was stupid. More than stupid. You don't just kiss your best friend because you want to know what it feels like. You wait for the right person.  
Looking back to her left, her eyes flickered down to Callie's lips and back up to her eyes.

"Now?"

Slightly nodding her head, she whispered a barely understandable: "Okay."

"On three?"

"Sounds good", she agreed.

"One", Callie started.

"Two", the blonde followed, leaning in, her face mere inches away from Callie's. But just before Callie could close the gap between them and say 'three', the door to her room shot open and Timmy stormed in, making the girls part instantly.

"Arizona, mommy says you have to come down for dinner. Calliope, you can stay too, Liam and Susan said it's okay." And with that, the blond boy was out of her room again.

"We better get down", Arizona said, getting up from the floor in a hurry. She didn't want to talk about what happened a minute ago. It was a stupid idea and she would never say something like that again.

"You're right. I'll just pack my school stuff together, so I'll be good to go after dinner." Callie looked at her best friend and the way she tugged some strands of blonde hair behind her ear, avoiding to look Callie in the eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Sure."

"You don't look like you're okay", Callie stated.

"I am okay. Just hungry."

"Okay", the Latina said though she didn't believe it. She could only muse it was about the almost kiss. For her though, nothing had changed. "Come on, best friend forever, there's a dinner waiting for us", she smiled, shoving Arizona through the door and down the stairs, making the blonde laugh with her. And with that little action, whatever was bothering the blonde seemed to be gone.


	14. This is my home Part 2

Liam was pacing through their living room as his wife was sitting on the couch, her face in her hands. "We have to tell her", he said.

"She won't like it", Susan answered.

"Whether we tell her now or in a month, I don't think her reaction would be different."

"Well, it would. Because a month down the road, there would be only four weeks left for her to come to terms with it. It doesn't seem right, though. How can we do that to her? She has her life here. She's in her last year of Junior High."

"Don't you think I know that? But it's not like she can't finish school", Liam reasoned. "I didn't chose for it to happen now." Frankly, the timing couldn't be worse.

"I know. And I know it's a huge chance for you and it will look so good in you curriculum vitae when you apply for the headmaster position, but-", Susan sighed. Still, in her eyes, it wasn't right.

"But she won't like it", he repeated his wife's words. "When will she be home?"

"Any minute now. Barbara said they'd have dinner together and she'll come home after it and that was about an hour ago."

Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, Liam thought about the last days. There was no way he could turn down such a big offer. "You know, it would be easier if they wouldn't have a job waiting there for you too."

"You really think that?"

"I do. If it would only be me, there would be more to think about and saying no would be easier. But this chance is a chance for you, too. They run their hospitals in a different way. Here, you are a nurse. Over there, you're kind of equal with the surgeons."

"You don't have to tell me that. I know that. I've alwayss wanted to spend a few years in a different country and work there. But then I met you and my dream changed. And I don't mean it in a bad way. We met, we fell in love and I knew where I wanted to be." Giving her husband a reassuring smile, she got up from the couch. "But it's not just the two of us anymore. You applied so many years ago..."

"I actually had forgotten about it. When I got the call last week I thought someone was making fun of me. But then he said he heard of the project I started at the elementary school. The sports class and all the other things. He said they want someone being innovative like me. With new ideas. I was more than shocked."

"I know. But Liam, it is two years", Susan reasoned.

Neither of them heard the quiet closing of the front door or the school bag that was put down on the floor. Nor did Liam notice the slight moving and changing of the shadows one could see in the mirror of the hallway.

"I know", he sighed. "I can still turn it down", he offered.

"That's not what you want", Susan said and she was so right with that.

"We have to tell her", he said again, unknowingly making the Latina who just got home listen up carefully.

"Yeah." Looking for some kind of comfort, she nestled her body closer to her husband, taking in the warmth of his body as he pulled her into a tight embrace. "How do you tell your daughter she has to move thousands of miles away without crushing her little world?"

"There's no way, I think."

"She'll hate us."

"Presumably", Susan agreed.

"But you're sure you're in this with me?"

"One hundred percent", she said, kissing him softly. "We're in this together."

"So, we're moving to Sweden?"

"We're moving to Sweden."

Stepping into the living room, looking at her foster parentsin disbelief_,_ not trusting her ears that she had heard right, she asked. "We're moving to Sweden?"

XXX

"_We're moving to Sweden?"_

Parting at the sudden sound of their daughter's voice, Susan and Liam shared a last look before their eyes focused on the Latina. "Calliope, why don't we all sit down and we talk about it?", Susan suggested.

"I want an answer", the brunette demanded.

Sighing, Liam made a few steps towards her. "Yes, we're moving to Sweden."

"When?", Callie asked, tears already filling her eyes.

"The week of Christmas."

"No! That's two months!"

"Calliope, please. Sit down and we'll talk about it."

"I don't want to sit down. And what's there to talk about anyway? You already made the decision." Looking up, she let the adults see the tears that were filling her brown eyes more and more and it broke their hearts. They knew it wouldn't be easy. "Why?"

"Liam won the Swenson Grand. It means, he'll be teaching at a Swedish school and-"

"You have a job here", the girl protested. She didn't understand how they could do that to her.

"I do. But the Swedish school system is different from ours and it's a great opportunity to learn some more. And it's not forever. It's only two years and after that, we'll come back."

"Only two years?", the Latina sobbed and scoffed at the same time. "What about me?"

"You'll go to school in Sweden. And Susan will work at a hospital. Everything will be the same", Liam answered.

"No", she cried. "No, it won't be the same. I don't want to move. I live here. This is my home. _You_ made this my home. I live here. Arizona lives here. I don't want to move to Sweden!" Yelling the last word, she grabbed her bag and ran up the stairs, leaving Susan and Liam standing in shock. Slamming her door shut once she reached her room, she tried to breathe. The wood was hard and cold in her back as she let her upper body fall against it. Sliding down until she felt the floor, she wrapped her arms around her knees and pulled them close to her body. Not able to hold them back any longer, her tears were spilling from her eyes now inexorably.

"Calliope?", Susan knocked softly on the door on the other side.

"Go away!"

"Calliope, please. Let us talk."

"No", she sobbed again, not loud enough for Susan to hear though. She cried and waited until she heard footsteps moving away from her room before she got up. Emptying her school bag, she threw some fresh clothes in it, wiping her eyes every few seconds so she could see something, but it was useless. Her sight was blurry because of the tears, but when she was sure she had everything she needed, she opened her door and walked back downstairs. Putting on her shoes and a light jacket, she stood still for a moment and took a few deep breaths to calm down. She was just about to enter the living room as she heard her parents stepping up behind her.

"Calliope", Liam tried.

"Can I stay the night at Arizona's?", she asked, not turning around so she didn't have to look at them. She would never just leave or run away. She respected her foster parents way too much to do something like that. But she really didn't want to stay.

"No, honey. We have to talk about it. We didn't do this to-"

"Can I stay the night at Arizona's, please?", she asked again.

"Calliope, you can't just show up at their door after 8pm."

"I can. Barbara and Daniel said I am always welcome."

"Do they even know you're coming?"

"No", Callie sighed. "Can I go now?"

"No", Liam stated in a stern voice. "It's dark outside and I will not let my daughter walk around alone that late."

Finally turning around, she kept her head low. "Ple-hease." But her plea was interrupted by a sob she couldn't contain and it was all it took to break their hearts all over again. "Please."

Placing a hand on her husband's shoulder, stopping him before he could say another word, Susan grabbed her keys and a jacket. Knowing it wouldn't change anything right now, even if they would sit down and talk, she said: "I'll walk you over. But we will talk tomorrow", she said. She knew the girl just needed time. They just dropped a bomb on her that no teenager would like to hear. But, maybe one night would be enough.

"Okay", the Latina sighed. "I just really don't want to talk about it right now."

"Fair enough", Susan answered.

"Calliope", Liam tried one more time, but was cut off by a whispered 'Let her be' from his wife and then she opened the door for Callie.

"I'll be back in about twenty minutes, okay? I just want to make sure she's inside before I come back."

"Okay. Do you think we made the wrong decision?"

"It was our decision and I think she just needs some time without us and with her best friend and her godparents", Susan smiled, gave him a soft kiss on his cheek

"Susan?"

"Yeah?"

"I wish there would be another way for her. It's really not fair to her."

"I know you do, Liam. That's why I love you", she answered and then she left the house as well.

XXX

"Are you expecting someone?", Daniel asked as the doorbell rang. Their son was upstairs, using the last 30 minutes of today before it was time to go to bed to play with the pirate ship his grandparents gave to him for his seventh birthday and Arizona was taking a shower because she skipped it this afternoon after swimming class because she was running late.

"No, are you?"

"No. I am so ready for a cozy Friday night in with some television or a good book and my beautiful wife", he smiled, partly joking on the book part, because unlike his wife, he didn't read books that often. He read the newspaper and some magazines about marine-stuff.

"Maybe it's just a neighbor", Barbara suggested, already about to open the door.

"Maybe it's a stranger", Daniel said. Opening the door himself as his wife left for the living room, his eyes took in the picture. There stood the Latina who had just left his house about an hour ago. But he saw that something was wrong. When Callie had left after dinner, she was smiling and happy. Now, she stood before him, her eyes puffy and red and her cheeks were tear streaked. "Calliope?"

"Did you just say Calliope?", Barbara asked, coming back from the living room.

"I am sorry, Co-Co-Colonel Rob-Robbins. But, can I come in?", she asked between sobs.

"Of course, honey," Barbara answered, pulling the girl inside. "Did something happen?"

"Yes", Callie answered, fighting so hard not to cry

"Do your parents know you're here?"

Taking another deep breath, because that was all she could do to stop herself from crying all the time, she answered: "Yes. Susan walked me over." Looking up into the Colonel's eyes and then to Barbara, it was that much harder not to let her tears win. When she'd have to move to Sweden, she wouldn't see them for two years. "I don't want to move", she whispered.

"Move? What are you talking about?", Daniel asked.

"Can I stay the night?", she asked instead of answering his question.

"You know you are always welcome in our home." He assumed that her parents already agreed to staying overnight. Otherwise, Susan wouldn't have brought her over, but something told him he should call them. "I'll call them and tell them it's okay."

"Thank you. Can I go upstairs?"

"Of course, sweetie", Barbara answered. "Arizona's taking a shower but she should be finished soon. You can just wait for her."

"Thank you", Callie nodded and made a few steps towards the stairs. She turned around though before going upstairs, hugging her godmother first and then her godfather. "Thank you."

"What did she mean, she doesn't want to move?", Barbara asked her husband as Callie was out of earshot.

"I don't know, darling. Did Susan mention something like that? I know for sure, Liam didn't. And why would they, it's their house."

"I think we'll have to wait."

"I'll give them a call, just to make sure Callie's allowed to stay", Colonel Robbins said, picking up the phone and dialing the number that was probably burned into his brain forever now.

xxx

Showered, dressed for the night in her butterfly pajama-bottoms and a simple shirt, her hair still a little wet, but her teeth brushed already, Arizona exited the bathroom. She heard her parents downstairs talking, but she didn't understand every word.  
Shrugging, because it was most likely about something from the news, she walked over to her bedroom, but stopped as she stood in front of the door. She knew she'd closed the door before she took the shower. She always closed her door since Timmy came running in as often as he wanted to. And that was something, she just didn't want. Some days, he was just too nosy or too noisy. Or well, too annoying. She loved her brother, she just didn't want him 'snooping' around when she was not in her room. And right now, she thought that he sneaked in while she was taking her shower, because her door was in fact not closed anymore.

"Timothy Robbins, I told you I don't want you to- Calliope?" Smiling as she saw her best friend waiting for her in her room, she dried her hair some more with the towel in her hands.

Callie jumped up as Arizona burst through her door, biting down on her bottom lip in the process. "Ow", she hissed.

"What happened?", she asked immediately as she saw her best friend's face and let go of the damp fabric. She tried to look her in the eyes, but Callie was successfully avoiding any eye contact. "Calliope, what happened?"

"I went home", she started, suppressing her sobs again as they tried to resurface. "And Susan and Liam were talking in the living room. They said we're moving." So far so good, she thought. "To Sweden." And as soon as those last words left her mouth, she watched as all color seemed to leave Arizona's face and blue eyes widened in shock.

"What? You're...you're what?", she stammered.

"Moving", Callie could barely say before she started to cry again. She didn't even have to blink to let the tears roll down her tanned cheeks. Her eyes were just not able to hold so much salty water.

"No", the blonde said, shaking her head. "No..."

"I-", the Latina tried, but no actual word came across her lips as they were quivering with her sobs. She just stood in front of her best friend, sobbing, trying to breathe and watching the blonde.

"No", Arizona said anew and wiped away some of the Latina's tears with both her thumbs. And though they were instantly replaced with new ones, the simple contact made it better for both of them, even if it was just for a few seconds. "Don't", she whispered and put her arms around the taller girl. She didn't know what else to do. Still shocked from the news she just received, she could not wrap her mind around all of it. What did all of that mean? She didn't want to lose her best friend. And she couldn't even imagine what her life would be without Calliope in it.

"Christmas", Callie muttered into the crook of Arizona's neck.

"What did you say?"

"We're moving the week of Christmas", the Latina replied, hiding her face behind her hands. "I can't move. I can't go away for two years."

By now, Arizona had begun to cry as well. Seeing Callie like this reminded her of all the times she witnessed her having nightmares. At least, she could hold her now, and that's what she did. She held her best friend in a tight embrace, letting her cry until there would be no more tears left and Callie tore herself out of the hug.

"I couldn't stay at home", Callie stated with a broken voice as she could finally talk again. "I don't want to move. Everything I have is here. My team is here. _You_ are here. They are ripping me away from my life just like that. Without asking me. They just decided. What am I going to do without you?"

She could say it was only two years, but that would be a lie. "I will miss you", the blonde said. Her normally sparkling eyes were dull and the only thing that gave them a little glistening were the tears.

"I don't want to have to miss you."

"Neither do I."

"I don't want to go."

"Christmas?"

"Christmas."

And all of a sudden, the mood of the blonde changed. She took a few deep breaths and when blue eyes met brown, she said: "You'll always be my best friend, whether you're here or in Sweden."

Callie tried to smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "You'll always be my best friend too", she answered and hugged the girl again. "I am allowed to stay the night. Susan and Liam, they want to talk to me about it tomorrow. I couldn't do that tonight."

"So, you're staying the night", Arizona smiled. "You can go and change, I ask mommy if I can make some hot chocolate and we just watch a movie until we fall asleep."

"Sounds good", the Latina answered, showing a weak smile.

"Okay." Wiping her best friend's tears away again, she squeezed Callie's hand before she left the room and went downstairs. Seeing that her mom was already busy in the kitchen, emptying the dishwasher, she asked: "Mommy? Can we have some hot chocolate?"

"Of course", Barbara answered without turning around at first. But when she was about to put away the plates, she noticed her daughter's face resembled pretty much the same as the Latina's when she was standing at the front door. "Dimples, what's wrong?"

Not looking at her mom, Arizona prepared the milk. "Calliope's moving."

"Whereto?" Barbara asked, completely unaware of what was next to come

"Sweden", she replied with a knot forming in her throat and still not looking up. That one word was all it took to make it real for her. Not that she didn't get it the times before, because, she did. But telling her mom made it sound so final. All the more when she heard her mom gasp and the fork hitting the tiles of the kitchen floor.


	15. This is my home Part 3

When Callie woke up Saturday morning, she was completely tangled with Arizona's limps. Their legs were entwined and the blonde's arms were still safely wrapped around her. She vaguely remembered falling asleep in her best friends arms, with her head on Arizona's chest after another half an hour of crying. It wasn't new to them. They've always cuddled in one way or another when they were watching a movie. Last night though, last night had been different. This morning was different. They've always been close but never _this_ close during sleep. Usually, one of them – most of the time Arizona - turned away in the night. But Callie had to admit to herself, that she liked it. She felt safe. It only took one thought about the upcoming conversation to make her tear up again, though. "Sweden", she mumbled.

"You're awake", Arizona said, startling Callie with her words.

"Ugh...yeah. A few minutes."

"Did you get some sleep?"

"A little", the Latina answered. She'd woken up a few times but fell back asleep almost instantly when she remembered were she was.

"When do you have to go home?"

"I don't know. They didn't give me a time", she sniffed.

"Hey", Arizona began, lifting Callie's face with her fingers so the brunette had to look her in the eyes. "Don't cry again."

"I can't do anything about it. The tears just don't want to stop."

"Don't think about it", the girl said innocently. "Try to focus on something else, like...oh! My swimming competition is tomorrow and you promised to be there to see me beat that girl's ass and kick her ass off the podium, make her second _after me._"

Laughing at her best friend's words, Callie wiped her eyes. "I'll be there, I promise."

"Perfect. Now, I think breakfast is already waiting downstairs for us. You hungry?"

"Not really."

"Oh, you know mommy won't let you go before she made sure you had something to eat", Arizona laughed.

"I know", Callie smiled. "Do you think we can stay here another ten minutes or so? I don't want to face it all right now."

"Of course", Arizona answered with a small smile on her lips, her dimples slightly popping.

And that's what they did. There were no words needed at that moment. No questions to be asked because all of them would have been about Sweden and they didn't have any answers yet. And as much as Arizona wanted to talk about what happened yesterday before Timmy burst through her door, she didn't want to talk about it at all at the same time. Until she saw Callie sitting in her room last night and the Sweden thing happened, it had been all she could think about and she didn't know why.

"Arizona?"

The blonde didn't answer. She was too lost in her own thoughts.

"Hey, Arizona", Callie tried again, nipping the other girl's arm.

"What?"

"Nevermind", the brunette said in one rushed breath, suddenly changing her mind from talking to not talk about yesterday at all. "I think I can eat something now."

"Okay", she smiled and got out of her bed.

xxx

"I am home", Callie said more to herself than to her foster parents as she closed the front door. She dreaded the talk. She'd feared it ever since she left her home last night and even more when she left Arizona's house fifteen minutes ago. The usual ten minute walk took her longer. Her feet felt so heavy and every step she'd made brought her closer to where she just didn't want to be right now.

"Calliope", Liam came towards her.

"I am sorry for leaving last night. I couldn't stay." She was sorry.

"We know that", he assured her. "But we want to sit down and talk to you about it. We need to."

"Okay", she said, lowering her head and entering the living room and sitting down on the couch while the adults took a seat on either side of her. Susan tuck a few brown strands behind the girl's ear while Liam put his arm on her lower back.

"We didn't want you to find out like that", the man started but was cut off by his wife.

"That doesn't mean we thought it would upset you any less, we just want you to know that we wanted to talk about it with you, instead of you unintentionally eavesdropping on us."

"I didn't do it on purpose. I just got home."

"We know that, sweetie. Can I tell you some things now?"

"Okay", the Latina shrugged, looking down on the floor. Somehow the carpet seemed a lot more interesting today.

"When I finally made it and had become a teacher, I was 26 by then, I was so ambitious. My first week at school was probably my worst. I wanted to do everything at once and of course, my kids were not old enough to take all of it in. I doubted if I was cut out to be a good teacher and I was so longing for the weekend to start. But then one of the older teachers sat down beside me and told me that everything will need its time and you can't rush things. He told me that he went to different countries to get to know different school systems and that that made him a good teacher in the end." He paused for a moment and looked over to his wife who was constantly brushing through their daughter's hair. "A few weeks later I applied for the Swenson Grant. They choose one or two teachers from another country every two years and let them move to Sweden to work at one of their schools. But when a year passed, and then another, I thought they just hadn't chosen me and so I thought I should simply forget about it. Shortly after, I met Susan and once we going steady and got married, Sweden hadn't crossed my mind at all. It was so many years ago. I didn't know they never tossed the application away. So when I got the call last week, I couldn't even put the pieces together."

"You've known for a week now?", Callie interrupted him.

"Yes", Liam sighed. "We talked about it and we wanted to think it through before talking about it with you."

"But what about me?", the young girl asked, looking at Susan and then over to Liam.

"Calliope", Susan breathed.

"No. You said you thought it through, but what about me? My life is here. It's the last class of Junior High, I was just made captain of our team. Arizona lives here, my godparents are here", she teared up. "Have you even thought about me before you decided to take the Grant? Or did you just say 'Let's move to a country that's thousands of miles away from my home'?"

"Now you are not acting fair, young lady", Susan scolded her.

"No! What's unfair is that you are tearing my life apart."

"Of course we thought about you, honey", Liam interjected. "We thought it through more than one time. Sweden is a good chance for you, too. Their school system is one of the best in the whole world and it is so supportive to smart kids like you. It will open a whole new level of learning for you."

"What if I don't want that? What if I am happy with my school. Arizona and I are top of our class. I don't need a _change_", she tried to reason with her parents. "Is there even a possibility that we are staying?"

"No", both answered. Liam accepted this morning, there was no turning back now. They watched as their daughter's shoulders slumped down and Callie covered her face with her hands. Susan wanted to hug her, but the girl just moved away and stood up as Liam tried to put his arms around her as well.

Taking a deep breath, Callie asked: "Can I go to my room and do my homework? Arizona and I didn't finish it all yesterday." It was a lie. And one thing she never did was lying, but she just couldn't handle it any more. As she got her answer in form of silent nods, she left the room, rushed upstairs and collapsed on her bed. Her tears breaking free instantly as she reached out for Mr. Turtles and cried into the fabric of is armor.

"We're awful parents", Liam said as he thought he heard the closing of Callie's door.

"We're not."

"We are", he disagreed. "We should have asked her before. She's not so little anymore. She has a mind on her own. She's not the little girl we met years ago. She's thirteen years old. And we shouldn't have made the decision without at least discussing it with her."

"Maybe. But in the end, it would have been the same. You would still have wanted to use your chance and she still wouldn't have liked it at all."

xxx

"What are you waiting for, Arizona?", her coach asked as she caught the blonde looking at the watch for the fifth time.

"Calliope's not here yet", the girl answered. "She promised to be here." She was sitting on the bench in the locker, had her swimsuit in her hand and her towel was lying in her lap.

"We can't wait any longer. You're up in 10 minutes, so get changed."

"But I can't win when she's not here."

"Of course you can", her coach replied.

"No. Last time she and I had a competition at the same time, we failed. I need her to be here", she stated. "She promised to be here." There was no way she would have forgotten about it. Maybe Susan and Liam wanted to talk to her again. But she knew Calliope, she would never break her promise.

"You have to in case she doesn't show up."

"She _does_", Callie came in, completely out of breath. She had to run because she indeed had another talk with her parents and then she noticed she was late. "I am sorry."

"It's okay. You're here now", Arizona smiled.

"I wouldn't miss it for anything."

Grinning like a Cheshire cat, Arizona turned to face her coach. "I'll get changed. I'll be super quick!"

"I'd rather you'll be quick in the water, but I need you to be in your swimsuit first. You have five minutes."

"I only need three", the blonde smiled, already toeing off her shoes and shimmying out of her pants at the same time. "Uhm...", Arizona started. She could still feel Callie's eyes on her and as blue met brown, she knew she was right.

"Sorry, of course", Callie said and turned away, focusing on the tiles on the wall, counting the ones with waves on them.

Shedding the rest of her clothes in a fraction of time and almost jumping into her dark blue swimsuit, Arizona smiled. Calliope was here, just as she promised. "Okay, you can look now", she grinned.

"You ready to win?"

"You don't even know _how_ ready I am."

"Good. Because I want to see you win", the Latina smiled. It was easy to be happy with Arizona. It was even easy not to think about the situation at home.

"Don't I get my hug?", the blonde asked in a demanding voice, tilting her head to her right, studying Callie's face as she did so.

"Think you'll need it?"

"I'll always need it. And if I don't, I still want it", she admitted.

Pulling her best friend in for a hug, Callie breathed in the scent of the other girl's shampoo. "Good luck."

"Thank you. You'll be watching, right?"

"You really have to ask?"

"No, I guess not", she chuckled. "I'll go get showered. See you later?"

"I'll be waiting for you", Callie smiled, hugging the blonde one last time before she left the locker.

xxx

"Mooooooom", Arizona yelled when she got back home. Of course she won. She was sad that her parents weren't there with her, but it was not so special anymore, even though today was a pretty big game for her - personally. But sometimes they were there and sometimes they couldn't make it and she was okay with it. Would she still be seven years old, she'd probably be disappointed when her parents wouldn't watch her competitions. But with Timmy playing soccer for one year already, they had to split.

"Arizona, you don't have to yell every time you get home", Daniel scolded her. "How did it go?"

"Perfect. I won. I even beat her last best time."

"That's great, Dimples. How's Calliope doing?"

"We didn't talk about it today. I don't know, I think she's still trying to cope with it", the girl answered, lowering her head. She had been so happy she'd won today. But then she thought about the time after Christmas when Callie wouldn't be there to watch her win or to wish her good luck. "Where's mom?"

"At Calliope's home."

"What? Why?"

"She's just having a talk with Susan, I guess", Daniel said. Of course he knew what his wife was doing. But, telling Arizona now wouldn't be of any use. It would maybe just get her hopes up, even Callie's if she would tell her best friend – and he was sure she would - and that could be devastating in the end for both of them. And they just couldn't do that to them.

"Okay", the blonde shrugged.

"We'll have dinner when your mom gets home and I reckon you have your room tidied up by the time she gets here."

"Daddy", Arizona whined.

"No. Upstairs. Now. I want to actually see the top of your desk when I come and get you down for dinner. I don't even know how Calliope managed to make her homework on it yesterday.

"She just pushed aside some books and papers."

"Exactly. She should not need to do that. You're supposed to do your homework on the desk, not on the floor."

"Well, she did. And I like doing them on the floor."

"Arizona", his stern voice filled her ears.

"But daaaaaad.

"Arizona Robbins."

"Okay", she huffed. She knew there was no arguing with Colonel Robbins once he said her full name, so she grabbed her bag and shambled upstairs.


	16. This is my home Part 4

Three weeks after she found out she was forced to move away from her life to start a new one for two years in Sweden, Callie stumbled through the front door of her home, Arizona following right behind her. And though she loved and tried to savor every minute she got to spend with the smaller blonde, today she'd rather be alone. She planned on starting packing today, although there was still more than enough time left. She didn't even have enough stuff to fill 35 packing boxes, but she thought if she would wrap up one box each day, the going away part would not be so hard. Or at least not harder than the last three weeks that had been more than devastating for both of them. Sure, Arizona had tried to cheer the Latina up, and it worked for a few hours every time. But once Callie was alone in her room, her thoughts and worries flooded her mind and the tears come back until she fell asleep due to exhaustion.

"Do you want some help?", Arizona asked once she 'd taken off her rain coat.

"No, I don't think so", the brunette answered. "Do you want some water? Or something else? I think we still have some coke and orange juice."

"Hey", the blonde took both hands of her best friend in her own. "Stop fidgeting. I know you have to pack", she said, giving her a heart-warming smile.

"It's not that. It's just that-"

"Calliope, will you come and sit with us for a moment?", Liam's voice sounded from the living room. "And tell Arizona she should come in too."

"Have we done something wrong?", Callie wondered and looked at the other girl with a questioning look.

"Not that I know of. Wanna face it or run upstairs, hide under your bed and pretend we're not here?"

Laughing at the words of her best friend, the young Latina tried to think of anything one or both of them could have done to upset their parents, but nothing crossed her mind. Coming home had not been very easy for her and she hadn't been as happy and thoughtful as usual, but she hadn't done anything wrong.

"Calliope", Susan startled her daughter with the simple act of placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Please come and sit with us. We have something we want to talk about." Of course they'd noticed their daughter's different behavior and the reason for that was out of question. At first they thought she would change her mind once she'd come to terms with it. That she would maybe start to like the idea of going to Sweden for two years. It would be so good for her. Not only was the Swedish school system so much better, but it was also never wrong to learn another language. Sure, the brunette was already bilingual and she spoke both of them fluidly and flawlessly, but adding another, not so widespread language to her knowledge could never hurt.

"Okay", she breathed out. A little scared of what was coming now. Inhaling deeply a few times, she let Susan and Arizona walk in first and was ripped out of her thoughts when she heard her best friend utter the question if something was wrong. And entering the living room, she saw two sets of parents waiting for them. Hers and Arizona's. But then again, this wasn't uncommon.

"No, Dimples, nothing is wrong. Quite the opposite, actually. But why don't we all sit down so we can start?", Daniel suggested, smiling over to his wife and then to the Menken's.

Sitting down next to each other, the blond unconsciously reached out for Callie's left hand and their pinkies and ring fingers hooked. It was the need to feel connected but it was also the reassurance the other was always there – and furthermore, would always be there.

"We know you're miserable", Liam stated and made all pairs of eyes dart towards him. "We can see it every day. We even hear it every time you're home, or not hear it -for that matter, because we haven't heard your voice and laughter fill the walls of your room in a while. We know, you think what we tried to do to you is horrible. And the more you think about it, the more you hate us for doing it."

"I don't hate you", Callie interjected. "I love you. You're my parents. "

"We know that, honey", Susan smiled. "And we love you too. It's why we're all here today."

"Sorry, but I don't get it", the blonde said, shaking her head. "And Liam just said 'tried to do'. What does that mean? Are you not moving to Sweden?"

"We are", Liam answered.

"But Calliope is not", Barbara said because she couldn't hold it back anymore.

The girls just stared at her, mouth agape and with their eyes wide open. "What do you mean, I am not moving? Do you not want me anymore?" Had she been too distant lately?

"Baby girl", Susan started and gently cupped the young Latina's right cheek with her hand, and at the same time she noticed that she hadn't called her that in a very long time. "Of course we want you. We will always want you with us. But we don't want to drag you away if you really don't want to. And we see that you really don't want to go. So-"

"We waited if you would change your mind", Liam went on. "But you didn't and we think you never will."

"It's not because I don't want to live with you", Callie defended, brown eyes finding Arizona as they did many times when she thought her words could hurt someone. "It's just so far away from home."

"Can someone please tell us what's going on? All this beating around the bush is not really helping", Arizona – always the impatient one – urged.

"I'm just gonna ask you another time, okay? Just to be really sure. Do you really not want to go to Sweden?", Callie's foster father asked.

And again, the brunette looked at her best friend. Then over to her godparents and finally at her parents. "No", she answered and lowered her gaze to the ground.

"Then you really don't have to go", Susan assured her with a smile, making both girls look up at her again. "You're staying with your godparents while we're in Sweden", she released.

"What?" Callie's eyes widened in shock, excitement, happiness and pure relief.

"Under a few conditions though", Liam said before there was no way one of the adults could get through to the girls. "We want you to come with us for a week or two, so you will see where we are going to live. And we want to see you during your breaks."

"Done", the Latina answered quickly, already sitting on the edge of the couch.

"We want an update each week about school and volleyball and everything else that's happening."

"Mail? Skype? Letter?", Arizona asked, making everybody else laugh.

"We trust you, and you know that. And we don't think you'd get lazy with school or anything else. We just want to be sure you're okay."

Nodding, Callie answered with a raspy "Okay."

"No sleepovers except when it's a weekend." This time, it was Daniel who gave a rule. "You're going to live with us and you will have your own room for that period of time. No sneaking out of one and into the other room. That goes for both of you."

"Got it", the girls said in unison.

"No staying up late just because you will be living under the same roof. No ganging up against your brother, Dimples. He's going to have a hard time with the two of you anyway, there's no need to double the stress."

"We would never-"

"Yes, you would. He's still your brother and when we tell you to help him, you will. Both of you."

"I'd love to", the brunette answered, the smile on her face getting brighter and wider with every passing second.

"And of course, as Liam said already, school will always come first."

"Of course, Colonel Robbins, Sir", Arizona grinned. Her world had suddenly started to spin again.

The Latina's gaze found her parents. "Wait!"

"What is it, Calliope?"

"You're serious right? Because telling us this only to change your mind would be...cruel."

"We're not changing anything. The decision has been made and it is final. We just want you to be happy", her father answered with a big smile. He was so relieved to see his daughter like this again. Of course, they'd rather have her with them, but he couldn't stand to see her moping around anymore. They both couldn't. And they wouldn't leave her behind with just anybody. She would live with her godparents, the people she trusted as much as her parents and the only family they would trust with her daughter's life for that long in general.

Jumping up from where she had been sitting the whole time, she flung her arms around her parent's necks and hugged them tightly. "I love you", she sniffed.

"We love you too."

"Hey, no more crying", Liam chuckled.

"Happy tears", Callie rasped. "Happy tears."

Loosening the grip, she threw herself at her godparents. "And I love you too."

"Oh honey, we love you too."

"Can we go upstairs now?", the blonde girl asked. "Because Calliope has some serious box packing to do."

"Dimples, she's not moving in for another four to five weeks."

"So? Can't hurt to have everything ready", she grinned.

Chuckling and snorting at the same time, Susan nodded towards Callie to just follow the blonde who had already left the living room.

X

"Oh my God! Oh my...Oh my God! Can you believe it? You're staying. You're actually staying and we're going to live together!", Arizona exclaimed as Callie had finally made her way to her room.

"Yeah, I do and yeah, we will", she sighed.

"You don't sound too happy about it", the blonde mused, tilting her head to the left and watching her best friend intently.

"I am. I really am. But I think I hurt them."

"So, now you're changing your mind? They just said you could stay!"

"I know", she smiled. "And I will stay. It's just...I think they are going to miss me just as much as I am going to miss them."

Flopping down on the Latina's bed and falling down so she lay on her back, her arms spread out on each side, Arizona let out a breath. "Yeah, I think I would miss my parents too. And my brother. He can be a handful, but I love him."

"You know what?", Callie asked, sitting down beside her best friend and leaning over so brown eyes could lock on blue.

"Huh?"

"No more about that stuff."

"Agreed", the blonde nodded. "But, Calliope?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you still think about that Friday three weeks ago?" Now that Callie moving to Sweden was no longer clouding their minds, Arizona finally found the courage to ask her. She'd pondered with herself every day, probably every hour whether to bring it up or not, but now she could ask. She should ask, for that matter. There was no way she could make it through another day without knowing if Calliope was having the same thoughts. And having her best friend so close, hovering over her wasn't helping at all.

"You mean..."

"Yeah", she breathed, looking at the ceiling.

"Uhm...sometimes? I mean, not constantly and with everything that was happening...but yeah, I do, sometimes."

"So, good thoughts or bad thoughts?" Her eyes found her best friend again, trying to read her.

"Confused thoughts."

The blonde tilted her head again, not getting what she was trying to tell her.

"It's not bad, I promise. It's-" Butterflies, hurricanes, she thought. Being with Arizona in general didn't make her feel that way. But when her dimpled best friend was around and she thought about that particular afternoon, she got nervous. And sometimes she even thought, she could hear her heart pounding in her ears.

"But it's not good either?"

"It's..."

"Confusing?", Arizona answered, using the same word Callie did just moments ago.

"Yeah", the Latina breathed out. "Are you...are you still..."

"Calliope, what do you want to ask me?", the younger girl questioned, suddenly feeling the need to clench the blanket she was lying on in her hands.

"Are you...still...curious?"

Biting her bottom lip – a pure reaction to cope with her own nervousness – Arizona nodded her head.

"On three?", Callie just asked, swallowing down the knot that had formed in her throat.

The blonde let out a deep breath before she whispered a weak okay and waited for Callie to make a move.

"One", she heard her best friend say.

Her eyes were completely fixed on the Latina's brown orbs, but she noticed the face above her coming closer. "Two", she said and it was the first situation all over again only that she didn't lean in. In fact, she didn't even dare to breathe.

"Three", Callie whispered and closed the last gap between them. Their lips met oh so gently and none of them knew what to think, what to do. They just felt. The brunette's slightly fuller lips were so soft against the blonde's pink ones and both girls closed their eyes to let the feeling truly take over their senses.

As soon as it happened, it ended as Callie leaned away. It was mere seconds, not even ten, maybe not even five, but Arizona wasn't so sure because she hadn't timed it in her head. "That wasn't so bad, right?"

"It wasn't", Callie smiled.

"Is it different with a boy?"

"How would I know?"

"I don't know. Maybe you do."

"No", Callie chuckled. "I haven't kissed anybody in the last three weeks."

"I like that. You were my first kiss", the blonde grinned adorably.

"We've been each other's first kiss", Callie corrected her.

"Awesome."

Letting her eyes wander through her room, Callie tried to take it all in. This was it. Empty bookshelves, an empty closet and her desk was already gone, moved over to her 'new' home. She took a few deep breaths. The only thing that was still reminding her that she indeed lived here was her bed with the best stuffed turtle in the world on it.

"Knock, knock." Arizona smiled at her little joke and entered her best friend's bedroom. "You all set?"

"Almost", the Latina grinned and zipped up her suitcase. "I can't believe I am kinda moving today. I mean, I am not exactly moving, but in a little way, I am."

"I know what you mean."

"It's quite surreal, actually. This time tomorrow, my parents and I'll be sitting in our seats on a plane to Sweden."

"Yes. But instead of staying with them, dad and I will come and get you", the blonde smiled. "And by the time we're home, your stuff will already be moved into your room in our house."

"All my stuff?", Callie asked, quirking her right eyebrow. There's not much left of my stuff. Only some of my furniture. Other than that, everything's already been moved." They had brought all her moving boxes over to the Robbins' house two days ago. Except for some clothes, of course, but she was already practically living out of her suitcase.

"You excited about Sweden?"

"Well, since I don't have to live there, I actually am. But first, sleepover", she grinned.

"YAAY!", the smaller girl exclaimed, letting dimples pop into her cheeks and her baby blue eyes sparkle. But, if she would have been honest, she was nervous. It was the first night they would be spending with each other since their curious kiss. The past weeks, both sets of parents had put their feet down on no overnights until the Menken's were going away. They wanted to spend as much time as possible with their daughter and the Robbins' were cleaning out Daniel's study which would be Callie's room. So, yes, she was nervous and maybe even that was and understatement. Because they hadn't talked about it. Because none of them was acting different. But deep inside the blonde, it was like a roller coaster. When the brunette took her hand on their way home from school – like they always did – it made her tummy all tingly. When Callie looked slightly down at her with that special smile, she thought she would glow for everybody to see, because everything inside her felt like beaming. Shaking her head to get rid of her thoughts, Arizona finally asked "So, you ready?"

"Yep. I just tell Susan and Liam we're going over. I think they'll soon head to their hotel room for tonight anyways."

"Right. You don't have to say goodbye today."

"Nope", the Latina smiled. "In fact, not for another ten days. Can you take Mr. Turtle?"

Smiling at her best friend, she answered: "Sure."

"What's wrong?", Callie asked as Arizona stopped in the middle of reaching out for the – in the meantime – worn out stuffed toy. "You know we're not saying goodbye either. It's just a vacation."

"It's not that. I just noticed it's kind of a family reunion."

"What are you talking about?" On very few occasions, the blonde's brain took turns Callie couldn't comprehend right away. She was used to it, but that didn't mean she could instantaneously follow her best friend's thoughts.

"Mr. Turtles will be living under the same roof as Mrs. Turtles and Baby Turtle!"

"Seriously!?", Callie snorted. "You're such a dork!"

"But you like me anyway", the other girl pouted.

"Of course I do."

"Awesome!"

Shaking her head as she watched the blonde leave her 'old' room, she couldn't avoid the giggle that escaped her mouth. Arizona was so bubbly and perky. Happy almost 365 days of the year and it would never seize to amaze her how easily she could brighten up the Latina's mood. It was one of the many things that made their friendship so special. Though, when she thought about their kiss and what she felt then, it was different to everything she'd felt before. But she could not label it.

"Hey, did you zone out or something?", Arizona asked and peeked her blonde head through the door.

"No, I was just...thinking", Callie replied.

"Thinking?", she questioned.

"Uhm, yeah."

"About what?"

"Nothing actually. Just, moving, you know."

"Exciting. We're going to live together in a few days."

"Better tidy up your room before I come back, because I want to build a den like we did when we were younger and sleep in it. We haven't done that in years."

"One year, Calliope", the blonde corrected her. "But yes, I think that would be great." She waited a minute or two, but the brunette still didn't move. "What's on your mind?"

"It will be my first Christmas without you in eight years..."

"Oh..." That didn't cross the girl's mind at all. She was too happy that her best friend would not be moving away, that she hadn't thought about Christmas or New Year's Eve. "It feels weird."

"It does."

"But Christmas is only three days away. We could-"

"Exchange presents today?"

"Hey, out of my head!"

"Sorry. Sometimes you're a little predictable", Callie smiled. "But I like the way you think."

"Me too", the blond beamed. "But to do that, we should actually move."

"Right."

And that's what they did. Mr. Turtles safely wrapped up in the blonde's arms while Callie somehow managed to get her suitcase down the stairs. Callie said a pretty early good night to her parents and then they went off to the Robbins' house. She'd left everything she didn't need for the night with her parents because Daniel would drive her to the hotel the next morning. And right now, there was nothing on the agenda. No homework that had to be done. No studying for two weeks and no getting up early in the morning – except for tomorrow and the days Timothy Robbins would decide it was fun to wake his sister at the crack of dawn.

xxx

Once they were done with dinner with Arizona's family and changed into their PJ's, which in fact were two sets of comfy sweatpants and hoodies of their sports-teams, Callie's of course labeled with captain.

Arizona stood in front of her small collection of Disney DVD's when Callie came back into the blonde's room, two cups filled until the brim with hot chocolate in her hands. "Can't make a decision?"

"No", the other girl huffed. "I know probably every sentence of every scene in every movie. I need more DVD's."

Putting the cups down on her best friend's desk, she turned away to get something from her overnight bag. Well, actually, it was just a bag because she would not have to take it home tomorrow. "Why don't you open this first?", she grinned, standing behind her and holding the Christmas present right before the blonde's blue eyes.

"Is that my present?", she asked with a big grin on her face and grabbed it, already starting to rid it off the paper.

"Well, it's wrapped up in butterfly paper", Callie mused.

"I noticed. But wait, don't you want to open your present too?"

"I can wait, Miss Impatient", the brunette chuckled and watched amused as Arizona ripped the butterflies apart, metaphorically.

"No way!", Arizona squealed as she could see a little bit of what was hidden underneath the paper. "No way!"

Callie just stood behind her best friend with a smug grin. She could almost picture in her head how bright the blonde's eyes must be shining right now.

"You got me High School Musical on DVD? All three movies?"

"Well, just because I don't understand why you like those movies so much, doesn't mean I don't want to see you happy."

Spinning around on her heels, the smaller girl jumped at her best friend, flung her arms around her neck and without further thinking, she crashed their lips together, making Callie freeze on the spot, completely surprised. But it was a good kind of freezing. Something was giving her a funny feeling in her stomach and she felt a rush going through her body.

As soon as Arizona noticed what she'd done, she parted their lips and looked into the brown eyes of her best friend. Thinking that what she saw was disgust or madness she made a step back and was just about to turn away from Callie, when the young Latina's senses kicked in and she reached out for the other girl's arm and stopped her. "Calliope, I am... I didn't... I am sorry. I was just so happy and... and... and."

"Don't be", she whispered and slowly lowered her head to reconnect her lips with the blonde's. She didn't dare to close her eyes, though, just in case Arizona would flinch or turn her head to one side.

"What are you doing?", Arizona asked in a whisper when Callie's face came closer and closer.

"This", the brunette breathed and a second later, their noses touched when their lips met again. It was almost as soft as their first kiss and not as rushed as the one that happened just two minutes ago. She was still kind of tense, but the more time passed and the more she was sure Arizona wouldn't back away, the more she felt her own muscles relax. She lifted her arms and intuitive placed them on the blonde's hips to hold her close to her.

Neither of them really knew what they were doing or what they were supposed to do, but a few seconds into the kiss, Arizona slightly parted her mouth and Callie did the same, letting both sets of lips meet in a mildly deeper way.

The dimpled girl let go of the DVD box she still had in her hand and it fell down on the carpet as her hands took hold of the brunette's hooded sweatshirt on either side. She tilted her head to the left as she felt Callie move to the right. But something deep inside her told her she wanted, needed to feel more, so she closed the small gap between them, relishing as their bodies were so close to each other that only their clothes were between them.

As the lack of oxygen became too much, Callie opened her eyes and pecked the soft pink lips in front of her one last time before she stepped back. "That was..."

"Yeah", Arizona breathed. "I..."

"Me neither", Callie replied, knowing what the blonde was about to say.

"How...?"

"It... it kinda just happened."

"It was pretty amazing for something that kinda just happened."

"So, you're okay with it?" Suddenly, Callie became really nervous.

"Okay with it? Are you kidding me? That was probably the best I've ever felt. Not that I am experienced or anything, you know that. But, hallelujah, that was one awesome kiss."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Callie picked up the DVD. "Wanna watch a movie now?"

"Yes!", she exclaimed and yanked the box out of her best friend's hand. But before she turned around to get everything settled for a cozy movie night, she stopped herself. "Calliope?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you still okay with cuddling?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because of what happened? I can see that you're nervous", she said and paused for a moment before she admitted, "And I am too."

"I don't know about you, but I am still okay with cuddling. Why should that have changed?"

"It's just..."

"You're still you, Arizona. You're my best friend."

She didn't know if she should be sad or happy about Callie's statement. She still was her best friend. She felt like her best friend. But that kiss had woken up the last little something inside her body that made her realize what was happening with her. Or at least, what she thought was happening because there wasn't a manual for a thing such as first love. That is, if it was love that she was feeling. She didn't know for sure. She just knew that she enjoyed the kiss so much and that she would possibly not get any sleep tonight with Callie lying next to her.

"Hey, are you okay?", Callie asked and cupped the blonde's cheeks with her hands. "Did I say something wrong?" Brown eyes full of insecurity searched for a sign in Arizona's face that she was mad at her or something like that. She was beyond scared that what they'd done would have ruined their friendship. But it had felt so right. To kiss Arizona had felt like second nature to her. But she couldn't admit that just yet. What if Arizona hadn't felt what she had felt during the kiss. What if it had been only her? Losing Arizona's friendship was not an option. Like, not ever.

"Yeah. Should I start the DVD?"

"Yeah."


	17. This is my home Part 5

Callie woke up first the next morning with Arizona in her arms, facing her and she couldn't help noticing how beautiful her best friend was to her. She still had some of her childlike features. Her big blue eyes she couldn't see right now because the blonde was still asleep. Her dimples that popped even more into her cheeks when she gave her one of that magical smiles. She had to take it all in. Memorize the girl's face for the time they would be apart and she knew the odds were that she'd have changed by the time they'd see each other again even though it was just ten days because Arizona and Colonel Robbins would make a short trip to Sweden as well, stay one night and then the three of them would fly home.

The blonde stirred a little bit when Callie's fingers reached out and stroke oh so tenderly over her cheek. The pale skin was so soft under her touch and it made her crave for more. But she didn't know if it was okay. Of course, they'd kissed – again – yesterday. But when they parted, something felt different. She'd wanted to do to that again. Kiss the blonde again. But Arizona somehow seemed to be okay with what happened and that was it. "What's happening with me?", she asked into the stillness of her best friend's bedroom. Her eyes traveled down both their bodies that were hidden under the blanket. She felt Arizona's hands curled up against her chest, one of it was holding onto her shirt as if her life depended on it, she seemed to sleep peacefully though. But every time Arizona would take a deeper breath, she unconsciously pushed her hands more against the brunette's body and it made Callie shiver. And suddenly, there was the same feeling again she had last night when Arizona had kissed her or when she'd kissed her back. She longed for another kiss, she really did. But before she could lean in, the alarm was going off and Arizona jolted straight up in her bed, making Callie freeze for about two seconds.

"It's already morning?"

"It is", she reassured her.

"You're leaving soon", she said, rubbing her eyes to get rid of the sleepy feeling.

"But I am coming back."

That made the blonde smile. "You are." She waited another minute or so before she got out of bed. "We should get ready. Daddy will probably kill us if we don't make it downstairs for breakfast before we take you to the hotel", she chuckled.

"Yeah. And if he doesn't kill us, he'll force us to do some of his crazy marine routines again like he did when he caught us being awake in the middle of the night on a school's day last year. It was funny, but God, I think my muscles were never that sore before". Callie laughed. It was true. They were both pretty athletic but their usual weekly practice with their teams had felt like a piece of cake in comparison to the Colonel's work out.

"Right. That 'no-sleepovers-at-school's-nights' rule was not decided out of the blue", Arizona laughed at the memory. She still remembered how her body had felt the next day. Everything just hurt. She couldn't move an inch without any pain and Callie wasn't doing any better.

A knock on the door filled the room and shortly after her father's voice ringed through the wooden barrier. "Are you awake?"

"Yes, dad", Arizona answered and rolled her eyes but couldn't contain the laughter. "See?"

"Yes. We better get dressed and ready for the day. I want them to still love me when I come back", the Latina grinned and paused for a moment, "back home", she said and climbed over the blanket and out of the blonde's bed as well.

"Wait!"

"What?"

"You still have to unpack your present!", the girl reasoned, because they didn't do that last night. After their kiss, they got under the blanket and watched High School Musical one and the second movie right afterward. They even forgot about the cups of hot chocolate that were still waiting for them on the blonde's desk. To be honest, she was more than just confused and didn't even focus on the movie for the first twenty minutes or so.

"Now?"

"Why not?"

"Hello? Colonel Robbins outside of your room?"

"Two minutes won't hurt", she grinned and climbed onto her desk.

"What are you doing? Get down here before you fall down!"

"I won't fall, Calliope. I do this since I am in school to hide presents."

"Hide presents?", she asked and watched as the blonde's hand was feeling around on the top of her closet.

"Yes. You know when my mom is stressed she starts to clean up the house and I can't have her accidentally finding her birthday present", Arizona said and smiled down on her best friend. She liked the change of angle. Normally, she had to look up to see the intense brown eyes of the Latina. Now, the roles were reversed and Callie had to look up to see her. When she found what she was looking for, she jumped of the desk, letting Callie gasp in shock. "Merry Christmas?"

"You're such a daredevil", Callie said, shaking her head.

"Well, do you want to have it or should I put it back up where I just got it from?"

"No!", Callie objected.

"So, open it."

Carefully unwrapping the present – not like Arizona – she revealed inch after inch of something that looked very much like a frame.

"I thought about getting you another book", the blonde said once the paper was all gone but Callie only stared at the back side. "Uhm, turn it around?"

"Yeah, sure." Her eyes lit up and that breathtaking smile spread across her face when she saw what was behind the glass.

"Susan helped me to pick it out. I know you can't use it right now, but I thought it could be on your nightstand for the time you're here and they are not", she explained when Callie didn't do anything but stare at the picture. "Do you like it?"

"Arizona, this is...how did you..?" She was lost for words. Her fingers graced over the outlines of the two people in the picture. She remembered taking this photo herself on her last birthday and both wore a matching smile for the camera. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Arizona Robbins!"

"Shoot! We better hurry", Arizona winced, flung the door open and sped off to the bathroom, leaving a speechless Latina standing in her room.

xxx

"You promise to call when you land?", Barbara asked as she held the young girl in a bone crushing hug.

"Barbara, she's not going alone, her parents are with her", Daniel chuckled.

"So? They should still call when they land. I want to know they made it safe."

"We will", Susan reassured their friends. "Can't have you worry about your goddaughter too much."

"See, Daniel. She understands me", Barbara smiled.

"I understand you too, honey. But you're going to see her again within two weeks."

"I know", Barbara replied, finally letting go of the girl. "Nevertheless, I am going to miss her."

"I'm going to miss you too", Callie answered and hugged Arizona's mom again and then her dad and even Timmy. He was like a brother to her and even though he sometimes was a lot to handle, especially when he was interrupting when they were doing their homework with some difficult parts_,_ she still kinda loved him. And now she stood before the blonde who had her eyes glued to the floor and had been awfully quiet as soon as they'd left the Robbins' house and headed for the airport. Though their actual plan was that Daniel would just drop her off at the hotel, her parents had called and said that they could meet at the airport as well to have lunch together. So, they all got ready. "Do I get a hug?"

Arizona still didn't say anything. She knew she was being pathetic. But it felt weird knowing she would not see her tomorrow or the day after.

"Hey? Come on...", Callie nudged Arizona's shoe with the tip of her own. "You look like we're never going to see each other again."

"Am not", the blonde protested.

"Are too!", the Latina disagreed and just pulled the other girl closer so she could wrap her arms around her. "I'm going to miss you", she whispered in her ear.

"I'll miss you too, bunches!", Arizona finally said, hugging her best friend back and fighting her tears by thinking about something else. They didn't even had time to talk about last night and though their behavior hadn't been different, it was bothering her. "You're not going to find a Swedish girl and make her your best friend, do you hear me?"

Hearing the blonde's mumbled words put a smile on Callie's face again. "I already have the best friend in the world. I wouldn't trade her for anything", she whispered back and – forgetting where they were - placed a soft kiss on Arizona's right cheek, covering the dimple with her lips.

They didn't see the expression on their parents faces as they witnessed the soft caresses that were exchanged between the girls. All four of them always knew their daughters were close. In fact, they would have been blind not to see it, because they were used to find them all cuddled up in one bed and to see them walking hand in hand, but this was something new.

"Did she..?", Barbara mouthed, but didn't get an answer because the girls parted and looked at their parents. Though, neither could have answered her question anyways.

"Mommy, are we going home soon?", Timmy asked.

"Yes big boy. Soon. We're just waiting for Calliope and her parents to get on the plane", Daniel answered his question.

"We better head for the gate soon. Don't want to miss our flight."

"I have no problem with missing the flight", Callie giggled.

"Yep, neither do I", Arizona smiled and looked down at their interlaced fingers. It was a simple gesture and most definitely not a new one, but today, well, since yesterday, everything felt different. It weighed more. The slightest touch, the shortest glance when their eyes locked.

"Calliope, don't start that again", Liam warned and ripped the blonde out of her thoughts.

"I won't, I promise. I am okay with going away for ten days", the young brunette assured. Though leaving still gave her a hard time, all the more after everything that had happened over the last 24 hours, but she was indeed okay with it. And kind of excited.

"Good, because they just announced our flight. We have to get going."

"Okay", she sighed and hugged Arizona one more time. "I can't wait for you to come and get me", she grinned.

"Me too."

Another hug was shared between the two women while the men went for a firm handshake.

"We'll give a call as soon as we made it to the apartment", Liam said once again before he scrunched down a little to say goodbye to Timmy as well. "You're going to keep up the good work at school, right? I don't want to hear any complaints just because you're going to have a new class teacher after Christmas break."

"Of course, Mr. Menken", Timmy smiled. "And when you come back, I'll be the best soccer player of my team."

"I can't wait to see you", the man smiled and got up again. "Ready to go?"

Giving him a smile, Susan nodded and took her husband's hand. "You too, Calliope?"

"Yes", she sighed, but the squeeze the blonde gave her hand reminded her again that it was not a long goodbye.

Letting go of her best friend's hand, Arizona waved her goodbye as Callie and her parents made their way to the security ward.

"It's only ten days, Dimples", Daniel said and placed his hands on both of his daughter's shoulders.

"I know. Doesn't mean it's going to be easy", she mumbled.

"Can we go home now? I still have to tidy up my room before grandma and grandpa get here." The little boy urged his parents away from where they stood by pulling on his father's right arm.

"Didn't I tell you to do that yesterday?", Barbara asked and looked at her husband because she sent him upstairs to see if it was done.

"You did and his room looked good."

"I did", Timmy nodded. "But I woke up early this morning and well..."

"How is it that your kids need three hours to clean up their mess but only twenty minutes to make it undone again?"

"My kids?", Daniel laughed.

"Yes, your kids. I thought I married a marine."

"You did. And my study was never messy", the man defended.

"Daddy's a sucker for our dimples, mom", Arizona laughed, knowing very well that her father wanted to come on very stern but at the end of the day, he couldn't be too harsh with her and with Timmy, it was no different.

"And that is your fault, because you gave them those dimples", Daniel chuckled as Barbara huffed and they made their way out of the airport to get home. In no more than four hours, both sets of grandparents would arrive and take their kids to the ice skating hall and they would start to get everything ready for Christmas.

xxx

She had managed. She'd managed quite good, actually. Seven of her ten days stay were already in the past and Callie managed to wear a smile on her beautiful lips almost constantly, thanks to her parents. Though Liam had been pretty busy from day one, Susan was not starting to work at the hospital for another week and so they'd spend a lot of time together, keeping each other company.

Their new apartment was equipped with the basics both in furniture and dishes but there were still a few things that had been missing when they got there. Nothing too essential, just some things they were used to have at home. So, after the first day was mostly spent with unpacking boxes that had been shipped over, the second was spend with shopping and some walking around to get to know the streets. Callie even picked up some easy words like 'tack', which was very nice because it meant 'thanks' and it always gave her a good feeling to be able to be polite. And she found out that the Swedish people didn't make a big difference between 'hello' and 'goodbye', 'hello' was 'hej' and 'goodbye' was 'hej då'. Though, a few Swedish characters looked pretty weird to her, what shocked her the most, was that they always addressed each other on a first name basis. Like they knew each other for years which was most definitely not possibly in a city like Stockholm. One evening, Liam had explained to her that it was a part of the mentality, but she couldn't imagine calling her teachers by their first names.

"Something's bothering you, isn't it?", Susan asked. She'd watched her daughter sitting at the breakfast table in the kitchen for quite some time now, with a pen in her hand, her head propped up by the other one and Callie having a slight dreamy look in her eyes as if her thoughts were miles away.

And in fact, they were. Her bubbly blonde best friend filled her mind more and more over the last days and she couldn't wait for her to get here. Two more days to go, though.

"Calliope?"

"What?", she asked, looking up at Susan who was currently chopping the vegetables for their dinner.

"I asked if something is bothering you."

"Mhmm", the young girl hummed with a light nod.

"You want to talk about it?"

She hesitated. They've always said that she could come to them with everything, and most of the time she did. But with this? With her thoughts and questions?

"Come on, spill it", her mom smiled and sat down on one of the chairs as well, neglecting her preparations for dinner so she could listen if the Latina was willing to talk to her.

"It's...", she started but then courage seemed to leave her.

"Is it about Arizona?", the woman guessed.

"Yes. No. Partly", Callie admitted.

"You know you can ask and tell me everything, right?"

Nodding, Callie took a few deep breaths and let her gaze wander over to the window. Everything outside was covered under a white blanket of snow, it looked so beautiful. Though, compared to Arizona, it was nothing. "What does love feel like?", she finally asked, still avoiding the woman's eyes.

Taken aback – just a little – by the sudden question, Susan didn't know how to answer her daughter. "Well, what do you want to know?", she asked instead.

"How do you know you love someone?"

That was a little easier. "When you think about the certain someone all the time and you get a warm feeling when that one is near."

"Warm?"

"Yeah, warm. Everything feels good."

"Good?"

"Amazing, tingly. You think you can fly and do everything." Looking at the young brunette, she thought back to their goodbye at the airport. "All you do is smile and you can't imagine your life without that one and... you get nervous easily when they are around."

"Okay", Callie answered. She didn't know what else to say. Susan's words described pretty much everything she'd felt when she had kissed Arizona the other night and all the thoughts and emotions that were flooding her body and mind ever since.

"Do you think you like someone?"

"I...don't...know...", Callie answered slowly.

"Why don't you tell me about what you feel?", Susan suggested.

"We kissed", she blurted out. "Twice."

"Aaaaand?"

"It felt good", she answered, looking at her hands. "It was...soft and I was so nervous and afterward, it was a little awkward because we didn't have the chance to talk about it because, well, I am here now." She let it all out. Everything that she had bottled up inside over the past days was finally leaving her body and it felt so relieving. "And now I don't know what will happen when we see each other again."

"Do you think this person feels the same?"

"How am I supposed to know this?"

"Who initiated the first kiss?"

"That was me, I guess. At least the time we actually kissed. But it was more like...out of curiosity?"

"And the second one?" She wore a smile the whole time. She remembered the first time she liked someone. A boy in her class, she was even a year younger than Callie was now. But she never made a step and the one time he asked her out to the cinema, she felt like over the moon.

"Uh...uhm...well...that...uhm", Callie stammered.

"Him?"

Exhaling very audible, Callie looked up in her mom's eyes. "Her", she admitted.

"Her?", Susan asked, wanted to coax it out of Callie and not just throw the name of a certain blonde on the table, though she was pretty sure what the girl's answer would be.

"Yes...", she drew out.

"Does she have a name?"

"Yes..?"

"Do you want to tell me her name?"

"Arizona?" It sounded more like a question than a statement, but the girl couldn't help her insecurity.

"And do you think Arizona liked kissing you?"

"I honestly don't know. And that is kinda freaking me out. Because, what if it's only me? And she doesn't like me anymore? Or she does not want to see me anymore? She's my best friend, I can't lose her because I am confused."

"Baby girl", Susan said and placed her hand on the young Latina's forearm. "I can't say what Arizona does feel, but whatever it is, I think you will sort it out without losing your friendship." Deep down she hoped that the girls would pull through this together. From the little interacting she always witnessed between them, she was inclined to say that whatever feelings her daughter had for the blonde, Arizona had them too.  
"How are my favorite girls doing?", Liam asked when he came home. "Am I interrupting something here?"

"No!", Callie said quickly, shaking her head eagerly. "How was your day at school?", she asked, changing the topic immediately because she didn't want to talk about it with Liam. Not now. Not because she didn't trust him or something like that. But she was already beyond confused and didn't know how to act or react once she saw her best friend again. Liam could do nothing to help that anyways.

"It was great. Of course, I am not teaching right now, because they are on Christmas break as well, but the school is amazing. The building as well as the few colleagues I met until now."

They kept talking about their day and Susan started to finish dinner while Liam was content to spend some precious quality time with his daughter. After all, they had only three more days left as a whole family.


	18. This is my home Part 6

"Stop moping, Dimples, they'll be here any minute.

"I am not moping, dad. And you said they're picking us up", the blonde replied, shifting in her seat impatiently as they were waiting for Callie and Susan. "We gave them the correct time, right?" She was nervous but also so happy and excited to see Callie again. Because she wanted to be in her arms again. Hold her again. Talk to her again – and not over Skype like they did some times last week. And maybe kiss her again. She just... she felt like she needed her so much. It was frightening but it was also very thrilling.

"Of course we did, Dimples", Daniel answered with a chuckle. His daughter was probably the most impatient person on earth.

"Then, why aren't they here yet?"

"I don't know. But maybe they are stuck in traffic or-", he stopped for a moment as he recognized the young girl approaching them, "or maybe you should just look up."

Without saying another word, the girl looked up, spotted her best friend in the crowd and shot up from her seat. Nerves forgotten, her feet slowly started to make one step after the other, then faster and faster and within five seconds, she jumped into the arms of a beaming Calliope and held on tight. "Calliope. God, I've missed you", she said into dark brown curls.

"Me too. I am so glad you're here and even better, we're going home tomorrow."

"Best part of me coming to Sweden", the blonde grinned and stepped back. Letting her eyes wander up and down to see if anything had changed, she noticed the green fabric hiding Callie's hands. "Are you wearing mittens?"

"Yeah. It's pretty cold here", the young Latina admitted.

"I haven't seen you wearing gloves or mittens since we were little", she grinned. "You just made fun of me for loving them so much."

"They are quite comfy", she confesses and rubbed her mittens covered hands together. "I got you a pair too."

"You did?", Arizona beamed. She was glad neither of them was acting uptight. It's what she'd feared the most while they were apart. But right now, seeing each other again seemed to outweigh anything else.

"Yep. Those", Callie smiled as Susan stepped up behind her and handed her the mittens. They were just perfect. They practically screamed the blonde's name when Callie saw them. They were light pink with two butterflies on each that were flying together. It almost looked like they were flying hand in hand, well, wing in wing for that matter. But Callie was sure Arizona would get the message.

"They are flying together", the blonde smiled and looked up into brown eyes. Every ounce of feeling she'd felt before Callie's departure was back and it felt like they were back tenfold. She felt her heart flutter in her chest and suddenly, it was harder to talk.

"They do", Callie saved her.

"Thank you", she croaked while pulling on one of the mittens. "They are so soft."

"And warm", the brunette said with a big smile.

"Girls, I think we should get going so we can make it home before it gets dark outside."

"Of course, Susan. " Smiling, Daniel grabbed the suitcase that was standing next to his seat. "That is, if we get those two to actually move again", he laughed. His daughter and the Latina still stood frozen on the spot, their eyes locked on one another. There was no way Susan and Daniel could miss the look on both girls faces. And though Callie had talked to Susan, she didn't know about Arizona, so she didn't say anything about it.

"Calliope?"

"Hmm?"

"We should get to the car."

"Sure", the Latina said and shook her head to focus again. She took off one of the gloves and reached out for the blonde's hand, lacing their fingers and taking a deep breath. How could it be that just the slightest touch felt so good?

"Calliope, start moving!", Arizona laughed when Callie still didn't move but instead holding her back because of their joined hands.

They got to the car and were on their way home in no time. The girls sitting in the back while Susan was driving and Daniel sat in the passenger seat. She couldn't help but look at Arizona. Golden curls framing her face and glistening in the daylight. And though she should have felt embarrassed at how often Arizona caught her looking at her, she didn't. Because every time the blonde's hearty laugh and giggles filled her ears, nothing else mattered. God, she couldn't wait to get home. Home as in Seattle. She couldn't wait to move in with the Robbins and she even looked forward to going to school again next week, because that also meant, that she would have practice again. But, going home was the best part of it.

She felt her best friend's hand on top of her own and when she looked to her right again, Arizona gave her one of the biggest smiles she could muster. Blue eyes sparkling at her, making her smile too.

Yeah, this was home.

xxx

"You promise us to be good, okay?"

"Of course", Callie answered. Here they were again. Standing at an airport. Saying goodbye at 6am. This time though, it was a real goodbye for at least three months until the week of spring break in April. And even then it was only possible, if Callie would fly to Sweden again because Liam would have to work at school, because apparently, the school breaks of Seattle and Stockholm didn't match entirely.

"And you can always call us. No matter if it's night or daytime here, okay?"

"Okay". Muffling her sniffles, she let herself be embraced by Susan's and Liam's arms.

"Hey hey now, no crying. That was part of the deal, don't you remember?", Liam smiled.

"Sorry. I just... I'm going to miss you so much", the young girl admitted. She was glad Daniel and Arizona were standing a few feet away, giving her and her parents some privacy.

"We're going to miss you too. But, know that you can always change your mind. If you want to try and live with us, you just have to tell us."

"Thank you." Wiping her tears away with the sleeve of her coat, she managed to give them a happy smile, making the man and woman smile in return.

"Now, there's our beautiful daughter."

"Don't change too much, okay?", Susan tried. "I don't want to pick you up in three month and you've grown up too much."

"I am thirteen years old. I'm not going to be full grown within a couple of months", the brunette chuckled.

"I am sorry to interrupt you, but they announced our flight for the second time. We should-"

"Yeah, of course", Susan answered, cutting Daniel off. She had a hard time already holding her tears at bay. But for Callie, she tried as hard as she could. There was no use to make this tougher than it already was for their little girl. "Come here." Pulling the girl in for another hug, she brushed her fingers through the soft thick dark curls of their daughter. "I love you."

"I love you too, mom", the young Latina whispered, her smile hidden in the crook of Susan's neck.

"Did you just call me mom?"

Nodding, she flashed both of them a wide grin, her teeth shining as white as ever.

"Liam, she called me mom", the woman replied in shock. They never asked her to call them mom or dad. In fact, they were perfectly fine with her calling them Susan and Liam. It was always out of question that the girl had had a mother and a father, even though she'd lost them. And she even made a difference when she talked about them, calling them mamá and papá with the Spanish pronunciation.

"She did", Liam announced, his facial expression almost the same as his wife's at the statement.

"I love you, dad", she said, looking up to her father, the soft features of his face turning into one of the biggest smiles she'd ever seen in his face.

"You never called us that before", he stated, fighting his emotions. Usually, Susan was the one to break into tears very easily and he was always the strong one. But hearing Callie calling him dad and Susan mom after she'd lived with them for seven years now, it was overwhelming.

"But that's what you are", she responded. "I am allowed to call you that, right?"

"Of course!" Susan's voice sounded, filled with excitement and joy. "But we don't expect it."

"I know you don't. And... I don't know if I stick to it. But today, you're mom and you're dad", the girl explained, her gaze flickering from Susan to Liam and then back at her mom.

"Okay, one last hug and then you have to hurry."

Bending down so they could both hug the Latina, each parent placed a kiss to her cheek before they let go of her.

"You give us a call that you made it home safe, okay?"

"Of course I will", she reassured them. "I love you. I'm going to miss you and I promise at least weekly updates."

"Okay. Now, go! Before we're changing our minds", Liam laughed and snaked his right arm around his wife's waist.

Callie already reached for her suitcase when she changed her plan, flung herself into her parents' arms one last time and then she grabbed her suitcase – still the one with the turtles on it – and made her way over to Arizona and Daniel who had joined his daughter again after he had reminded them that they had to board soon.

"Ready?", the blonde asked as she noticed the tear streaks on her best friend's cheek.

"Yes", Callie replied with a strong voice.

"Mommy has apple pie waiting for us", she grinned.

"It's a fourteen hours flight, Dimples."

"So? Mom said we're going to have apple pie when we get home because she knows how much Callie loves her apple pie", she reasoned. "Plus, you said we'll be home an hour after noon."

"Because of the time difference." He was sure both girls would suffer from the jet lag, even his blonde little energizer bunny.

Arizona just shrugged again. "Ha! You'll see, Calliope. Mommy, Timmy and apple pie are practically calling our names already!" Her new mittens in one hand, she looped her other arm through Callie's and let it slide down until her hand met Callie's skin and their finger's intertwined again. There it was again. The warm feeling that floated through her body at the briefest touch and it made her smile every time. She couldn't wait to get home. More so, she couldn't wait to get home and for Callie to finally move into her new room. "What are we waiting for? I can't wait to get home!", she exclaimed, and tugged at the brunette's arm.

"Yes, let's go", Daniel said.

Turning around to see if her parents were still there, she smiled as she spotted them immediately. One last smile and one last wave of her hand and then she started moving. Yeah, she couldn't wait to get home either.

xxx

"Can we go to bed?", Arizona asked when they had dinner together. It was barely after 7pm and she would never admit it, but the long flight really did something to her. Adding a 2.5 hours' drive from the airport to finally get home, she was awake way too long and too tired to eat something, so she actually just picked at her food.

"Of course you can, Dimples."

"Me too? I don't want to be impolite, I am just pretty exhausted", Callie said.

"Calliope", Barbara said, looking at the girl sitting across from her. "You're living here now, that means you go to bed when you feel tired and get up when you want to, except for school days of course."

"Thank you", she replied with a weak smile before she joked: "Come on Arizona, before you fall asleep at the table."

"Mhmm", the blonde hummed and let herself be pulled into a standing position by her best friend. "G'night, mom. G'night, dad."

"Good night, you two."

"Good night", Callie said as well, before she pushed the smaller girl forward so they were headed for the stairs.

They shambled upstairs and as soon as Arizona could reach the handle, she opened her the door to her room and stumbled inside. "God, I am so happy dad told me to build the den before we left", she said, stifling one yawn after another between her words.

"Yeah, your dad is smart. He's a marine", Callie replied, trying to hide her own yawn as she tugged at the hem of her sweatshirt to pull it over her head. Usually, she'd change in the bathroom, but she was just too tired to make any unnecessary moves today.

"Can I put in one of my radio plays? I'd go with a DVD, but you know, we can't see them in the den. But I still like to have some voices and noises in the background.."

"Fine with me. Just, no High School Musical, okay?"

"Oh Calliope, admit it, you like it too", the blonde teased, pushed her jeans down her pale toned legs and put on her sleep pants.

"Uhm", Callie stopped as she saw her best friend's legs. Nothing she hadn't seen before, after all, she had seen Arizona in her swimming suit several times, but a lot had changed since their second kiss.

"You okay with the Lion King? We listened to it so many times when we were younger but we haven't heard that in a while?", Arizona asked, not noticing her friend staring at her completely flabbergasted. "Calliope?"

"Huh?"

"I asked if you are okay with the Lion King?", she laughed.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever." Even in her tired state, her mind wandered back to kissing the blonde again. And suddenly, it was the only thing she could think of.

"You ready?", Arizona asked. The play was already starting, the sound of 'The circle of life' quietly filling the room, as the girl turned around just in time to see Callie put on a shirt for the night.

"So ready", the Latina replied and flopped down on the mattresses in the middle of the room where all three turtles were already waiting for them. Sometimes she thought she was too old to sleep with a stuffed toy in her arm, but every time she tried to fall asleep without it, she turned around for more than an hour, with the result that she'd reach out for Mr. Turtles in the end anyways. So, she just didn't try anymore. "I am so happy to be home again", she smiled when Arizona joined her in the den.

"Me too. I missed talking to you."

"I figured. I think you told me all about your week within an hour or so", she grinned and yawned again.

"You did the same", Arizona replied with a cute pout on her lips. She was still tired but somewhere between getting up and dressed to finally lying here, she got another little surge of energy. And with the energy, her nerves were back as well. But she also relished the feeling of having her best friend home again, so, before she tucked the blanket over herself, she snuggled closer into the brunette's body until her hand accidentally and without her noticing brushed the underside of Callie's breast and she felt her tense up. "What?"

"Nothing!", Callie gasped. Her heartbeat increased at the sudden touch and she willed her breath to not do the same.

"You ticklish there?", the blonde mused.

"Ugh, yeah, a little", she answered. It didn't tickle at all, but she didn't know how to explain what she was feeling, so she went with being ticklish. It was easier right now.

"Spot of weakness", Arizona grinned, propped herself up on her left elbow and looked straight at Callie, locking blue eyes with brown. Swallowing hard, she tried to get rid of her nerves. She knew what she was craving for, but she was scared Callie didn't want the same. There was no sign, hint or whatsoever, that the Latina was having the same thoughts or yearnings. And being so close to her didn't do anything to calm her nerves, it somehow gave her the courage she needed at the same time. "Calliope?"

"Mhmm?", she hummed.

"Would you be... mad... if I would try something?"

"What... do you... want to try?", Callie asked, holding her breath as Arizona brushed a dark lock away from her cheek.

"Uhm..."

"Talk to me, Arizo-", Callie wanted to suggest but didn't get to finish the blonde's name as she felt soft lips on her own. Both pairs of eyes fluttered shut almost at the same second.

She did it. She gathered all her courage and finally did what she wanted to do since she'd hugged her best friend yesterday. Her mind was spinning around in circles – at least, that's what it felt like – and her heart was pounding stronger than ever in her chest. She could even feel her pulse beating in her fingertips, just like she felt it every time she was diving in for the first time of the days competition with her swimming team. Though, what she was feeling now was so much better. Everything inside her tingled. Her stomach was doing somersaults or something like that. She leaned further down, connecting their upper bodies as she parted her lips a little bit to kiss Callie again like she did the last time they'd kissed.

She felt as if kissing Arizona was getting better and better every time they kissed. Her brain was on overload. She tried to focus on the kiss, but then Arizona had pushed her body into hers and that made her heart actually burst with emotions. Her hands were acting on their own accord as they encircled the blonde around her waist to pull her even closer. The kiss was anything but hurried or frenzied and it took her breath away. It was perfect and if it wasn't for the yawn that was bubbling up inside her, she wouldn't have turned her face away at all. "Sorry", she said and looked back at her friend.

"No need to be sorry", Arizona smiled and pecked the lips in front of hers again before she laid down beside the Latina, her side cuddled into the warm body and her head resting on the shoulder. "We should probably get some sleep.

"Yeah", Callie smiled. Feeling the need to say anything and not let it just slide again, she confessed, "I like kissing you."

"I like kissing you, too", Arizona admitted with a goofy grin and grabbed Callie's hand to interlace their fingers on top of the brunette's stomach. "Good night, Calliope."

"Good night, Arizona.

xxx

Falling asleep after being awake for more than twenty hours was easy. Sleeping under a comfortable warm blanket in a den in her room at home was even easier. But waking up still curled up beside her best friend – her best friend whom she'd kissed again last night – was by far the easiest thing Arizona had ever done in her relatively short life. It seemed like they hadn't moved an inch while they were asleep. Her head was still resting on the Latina's shoulder and their fingers were still entwined.

Sitting up and letting go of the brunette's hand, she stretched her legs and arms. She felt well rested and when she glanced out of the den to get a look at the clock on the wall, she knew why. It was 10am and that meant, they had slept more than twelve hours. Apparently, it was needed. But now she felt hungry which didn't surprise her at all because she practically neglected her dinner yesterday, feeling to tired to chew and swallow.

She let her eyes wander to her left, where Callie was still lying on her back, sound asleep, her chest rising and falling evenly with every breath she took. Brown eyes hidden by her eyelids, but Arizona of course knew they were there. And she still saw the look Callie had given her yesterday. She couldn't tell what that look had been like, but her eyes had been shining so bright and at the same time, they had been so deep, the blonde thought, she almost got lost in them. And then the kiss. Oh my God, that kiss. It was better than anything she'd ever felt before. Better than swimming, even better than beating Samantha's ass.

'I like kissing you', Callie had said and just hearing the words again in her head, remembering the sound of the Latina's voice made her body all tingly and overly happy again. She liked kissing Callie too. No, she loved kissing Calliope a lot. If that was what love was supposed to feel like, she'd never wanted to feel anything else. Because this, this felt so incredibly perfect. She didn't know much about love. She knew she loved her family and she knew that it was a different kind of love. But love like her mom and dad shared, she didn't know anything about. Hell, she was twelve years old, not exactly a lifetime of experience to talk about, but she knew, thinking about Callie made her heart rate accelerate. And every time they'd kissed, it just beat faster and there was nothing she could do about it even if she would want to.

Brushing a few locks behind the sleeping girl's ear, she smiled. Callie's hair was so soft and so beautifully dark. Some days, one couldn't immediately tell if it was in fact dark brown or black. But every time the sun broke through the clouds hovering over Seattle, it made the Latina's natural tresses shine and shimmer in the most amazing brown, just like Callie's eyes. Even her fair skin was glowing when rays of sunlight would meet it. How could she not have noticed all of this before? Or was that was love could do to someone? Seeing things differently? Thinking differently? Feeling differently?

"What are you doing with my hair?", Callie mumbled sleepily. Her eyes still closed but she felt the blonde fumbling and playing with some strands.

"Uhm..." Busted! And she froze for a second, before she answered: "Uhm...counting your curls?"

"Good luck with that", she chuckled and blinked a few times with her eyes to clear her view. "Did you sleep okay?"

"I slept amazingly good. Actually, we slept amazingly good", the blonde grinned. "It's after ten."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"Wow."

"Yep."

Both chuckling at the one word conversation, Arizona let her head rest on the same pillow as Callie.

"So... last night", Callie began after a minute of silence that she couldn't handle right now.

"You... you want to... to talk about it?" She froze again. What if Callie had changed her mind? No, she'd said she liked kissing her. But, the chances were still there that she woke up and thought different about it.

"Yeah. No. Well, yes and no, actually."

"Calliope you're confusing me", Arizona admitted.

"I am confused too. But-"

"But?"

"I meant what I said last night."

"Pheew", the blonde let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"What?"

"I thought that maybe you'd regret it."

"I don't. But I am still confused. I've never felt anything like this before." Brown eyes searched for the ones of her best friend.

"Me neither."

"It's so new and frightening but at the same time, I can't think about anything else", she confessed.

"I feel the same." Her gaze flickered from the brunette's eyes to her lips. "And I don't know what it is, but-"

"I don't want to change it", Callie revealed. "I like it, a lot. I feel safe with you and I trust you and-"

"Every time we kiss, I get this strange feeling inside of me", she interrupted Callie.

"Me too."

"I want to kiss you again", the dimpled girl blurted out before her mind could tell her not to say the words.

"Then kiss me", Callie affirmed her and just like that, their lips met again, making the Latina sigh and the blonde tingle with emotions they still couldn't label. They were still insecure and gentle with their moves. Their lips still met softly and every next move was somehow thought through in their clouded minds, but at least, they'd talked about it – even if it was just a little bit.


	19. This is my home Part 7

**AN: A side note to all of you waiting for an update of the sequel... I _am_ working on it, I promise. But between the new job and all that stuff going on, I am gratefull for all the sleep I get at the moment. I have about 50% of it done, so I might be able to finish it this weekend...**

**Anyway, he's the update of the repost.**

* * *

"Mom, come on, we're running late!", the blonde urged. "Timmy!", she hollered for her brother.

"Arizona Robbins!", Barbara scolded her daughter for yelling upstairs to get her brother downstairs.

"But mom, he's dawdling and Calliope's match starts in less than thirty minutes!"

"And we need ten minutes to get there, so relax, Dimples. Besides, you could have gone with your dad and her when he dropped her off."

"Uhm..." She would, could and should have done that, but since their first morning five weeks ago back in Seattle, well actually since their first night sleeping next to each other again, she didn't trust herself not to just spontaneously kiss the Latina. It happened twice already. The first time, they were doing their homework and her mom almost caught them if it hadn't been Timmy's race car toy startling them as it had crashed against her door from the outside. The second time, she barely held herself together as Callie had been changing in the locker and Arizona had been watching her although she had tried to look away. And then, when she had just wanted to wish her good luck, they had been so close and were almost busted by Pheebs. So, just to stay on the safe side today, she didn't want to go with her dad and her _best _friend.

"Is everything okay with the two of you?", Barbara asked concerned. She hadn't noticed anything wrong between them. They were as inseparable as ever, even more now that they wouldn't even have to part after dinner. Still, her daughter's behavior seemed a little off from time to time.

"Yes", Arizona answered honestly. Nothing was wrong. Everything was perfect. She was addicted to kissing Callie. She couldn't think straight anymore when the brunette was around, but other than that, everything was indeed perfect.

"And at school?"

"Everything's okay mom. Can we go now? I really don't want to be late", she changed the topic so she didn't have to answer any further questions. She loved her mom. She loved both her parents, but she was not sure how they would react to the news. And seeing that until now, they hadn't talked about being girlfriends just yet, there was no news to give away. It felt like they were, though. But making the step and call their friendship a relationship was just something, they hadn't done. Yet.

"Timothy Robbins, you get down here in ten seconds or we're going without you!", Barbara now hollered herself and not two seconds later, the blonde boy sped down the stairs, sports bag in one hand and almost knocking over his sister on the way to the car. "Why do we have to have bundles of energy as children?"

"Because you wouldn't have it any other way", Arizona grinned and made her way through the door as well, followed by her mom.

The drive to their school was indeed pretty short and if it wasn't for their really hectic schedule today, they would have walked. But after Callie's match, they would all head over to the soccer field to cheer for the youngest Robbins family member and after that, Arizona had a competition of her own. It was on really rare occasions that all three of them were having a match and luckily for all of them, the times didn't clash. But it was only manageable with two cars.

"Dimples, why are you fidgeting so much?", Barbara asked her daughter who was sitting in the passenger's seat. Usually, she would have to sit in the back with her brother, but he and his soccer stuff were taking in all the space.

"I am not", the blonde defended herself.

"You are. You nervous about later?"

"Yeah!", she exclaimed and nodded eagerly.

"I'm sure you're going to do great", her mom said with a warm smile.

"Thanks, mom. I..."

"What?"

"Uhm..." She was practically knotting her fingers until she was not able to move them except for her thumbs.

"You that nervous?"

"Yes...oh, we're here", she said quickly, almost unbuckling her seat belt and pushing the door open before the car was standing still.

"Dimples, there's still enough time."

"I'm just going to wish her good luck!", Arizona yelled as she ran off to, leaving her chuckling mom and little brother behind.

xxx

"Today has been amazing", Callie smiled. They were beyond tired after this day, but both of them felt so good and all of the stress had been so worth it.

"No. Today has been awesome! We all won. You and your team are one victory away from making it to the junior quarterfinals. Timothy scored two times today and-"

"And you were amazing", Callie stated, making the blonde's cheeks blush. "The others didn't even stand a chance."

"That is not true, Calliope", Arizona replied as she put the water bottle on the night stand next to Callie's bed. A bowl with popcorn was already there for their weekly Saturday movie night.

"It so is! It's like you and the water become one."

"Yeah, maybe I've been a mermaid in a previous life", the girl joked and started to laugh as Callie's jaw dropped.

"I am complementing you and you're making fun of me, Arizona? Not nice."

"I am not making fun of you. It's just... all I do is dive in and swim as fast as I can. You do much more. You make plans and strategies with your coach. You lead your team without shouting orders and demands around. Me? I am just myself."

"Hey!", Callie said and stepped closer to Arizona. "Stop selling yourself short."

"I am not."

"You are", she countered and placed a hand on the other girl's right cheek. "You are incredible fast in the water. And on land, for that matter. You run as fast as the boys in our class. You're so smart and to me, you are the most special person... girl on earth."

Looking up and finding nothing but honesty in the Latina's dark brown eyes, she mustered a small smile. "You really think that?"

"Would I lie to you?"

"No", the blonde whispered, closed her eyes and leaned her cheek a little more into the Latina's palm, enjoying the feeling on her skin. "You're special, too."

"So, what movie will it be tonight?"

"I don't care. Just pick one."

"Just pick one? You don't want to watch one of your beloved Disney movie's?"

"I don't mind watching anything else", Arizona shrugged. She would be fine with just lying snuggled up on the bed with Callie. She didn't care about the movie.

"Okay. So, uhm...Honey?", the brunette asked cautiously, knowing that her best friend wasn't a big fan of the music. She liked the dancing parts - especially the final one, and the little boy, but she preferred other types of music over Hip Hop and R'n'B.

"Okay."

"Really?", Callie asked, excitement very present in her voice.

"Yes."

With a big smile on her face, the young Latina put in the DVD and switched off the light before she headed back to her bed and flopped down beside Arizona. The blonde always chose to lay between the wall and her friend, so she just scooted as far into the middle as she could without taking away too much space.

"You know, I think, we should celebrate today", Arizona announced and placed a soft kiss on full lips. She wasn't sure if it was the right timing for it, but she really wanted to give it a try. And since they've become so comfortable with kissing each other, she thought it would be okay.

"Celebrate?"

"Yes."

"What do you mean", Callie asked.

"Will you just trust me?"

"Of course I trust you", the brunette answered.

"Good" Arizona whispered and leaned in. Closing her eyes, she let her emotions take the lead and just went with what felt good as she kissed Callie. They had stopped to voice their cravings for more kisses. They just did it. So, right now, she would just do it. She opened her mouth and when she was sure Callie was still relaxed, she let her tongue peek out and brush against the Latina's lower lip, just as she'd seen one of Callie's teammates and her boyfriend do it after practice when she was waiting for her friend. She wasn't intentionally watching. They just happened to kiss right in front of her eyes. And it wasn't even the first time she'd noticed those kind of kisses, so there must be something special about it.

And when Callie didn't freeze, she tried it again. And when she felt Callie open her mouth just a little bit more and their tongue's met for all of two seconds, it was enough for Arizona to let out a happy sigh. She knew she wanted, needed to feel that again. But suddenly, her courage was gone and she wasn't so sure if Callie had enjoyed the brief touch too.

Just as she was about to part her mouth, she felt Callie's tongue against her lip this time, letting her know it was more than appreciated. Five seconds passed before their tongues finally met again and both girls let their feelings outvote their minds to revel in the new sensation instead while the DVD menu was starting again in the background, filling the air with a soft tune.

xxx

It was almost over. Their last year in Junior High, well, Junior High in general had gone by so fast. Sometimes it seemed to her like it was yesterday that she was announced captain of their volleyball team. But then again, between practicing, matches, studying to keep up her grades and keeping her parents up to date there was not much time left where she didn't know what to do. And of course she'd spend more and more time making out with Arizona. Some weekends were spent with movies in the background and making out on top of one of their beds – kissing only, of course. But those kisses...sometimes it was all Callie needed to survive the day. It was still only the two of them who knew about it, though.

She'd been to Sweden over Spring Break and those five days in a row were the only times she had nothing to do. At least nothing that needed to be done. She went sightseeing with her mom, one day they made a trip to Copenhagen and she got Arizona a small key ring pendant with a miniature version of the 'lille havfrue' (little mermaid) which was a) still one of the blonde's favorite movies – she's even okay with Flounder now – and b) an originally Danish fairytale.

So yeah, she'd been busy all the time and now was no difference because she'd already been packing her suitcase for the two week she was going to spend in Sweden with her parents. She still had enough time, Summer Break was not here for another three days, but she hated being ready just at the last minute. So she started packing early, was probably done by tomorrow and would only have to think of Mr. Turtles on Saturday morning when the Robbins' would bring her to the airport.

"Hey, you're packing already?", Arizona came into her room, making the brunette smile instantly.

"Ugh...yeah."

"Can't wait to get away", she teased.

"No", Callie answered and lowered her eyes. Two weeks without Arizona would be hard.

"I was just joking, you know that, right?" She walked up towards the Latina, put her arms around her waist and placed a soft kiss on the other girl's lips.

"Mhmm", Callie hummed and captured the blonde's lips in a slightly deeper kiss before she let go of her best friend with sparkling eyes and moved away to continue with her task.

The dimpled girl couldn't stand it anymore. Maybe it were the teenage hormones or maybe it was her stupid brain that went down the road of insecurities a lot these days. But she found herself more and more needing to know what they were. "Calliope?"

"Hmm?", the brunette hummed again.

"Can...can I ask you a...a question?"

"Sure."

"Can you...turn around and look at me, please?"

Letting go of the socks she currently had in her hands, she turned around and looked at the smaller girl with concern in her eyes. Arizona's eyes were focused on the floor, her blonde curls falling around her sweet face like a curtain. "Is something wrong?"

"Promise you won't laugh at me?", the blonde asked, kneading her fingers in her hands.

"Why would I do that?"

"It's..."

"Arizona, you're kinda freaking me out here."

"It's just...we're...you...I mean, you and I, we've always been best friends, right?"

"Of course."

"But, we kiss...a lot."

"Yes..." Callie had no clue where the blonde was going.

"But best friends are not supposed to kiss like that."

"Nooo", she drew out.

"So...I...want...need to know", she stumbled through her own thoughts."

"Need to know what, Arizona?" She placed her finger under the blonde's chin to lift her head up and look into the blue eyes she liked – dare she say: loved – so much.

"Are we..." She stopped again. It was easier when she practiced that last night. "I mean-" She inhaled another time. "Am I your girlfriend?", she finally asked in one rushed sentence and closed her eyes. Sure, she desperately wanted to know the truth, but then again, what if Callie would say no?

"I would love to call you my girlfriend", the Latina answered with a stunning smile, making blue eyes shot open instantly.

"For reals?"

"Yes, Arizona, for real", she giggled.

"Wow."

"Is that all you have to say to this?"

Instead of answering her best friends' – no, scratch that, girlfriend's – question, she lunged forwards, flung her arms around the brunette's neck and pressed their lips together. But before Callie could run her tongue over the blonde's lower lip, Arizona's moved her head to the side, getting a confused look in return.

"What?"

"It's not fair that I won't see my girlfriend for two weeks", Arizona pouted and traced lazy patterns over the tanned forearm that belonged to the beautiful girl in front of her.

"I'm not leaving for a few days", the taller girl replied.

"I know. But still, you just said that I am your girlfriend and now you're leaving." The pout got even bigger.

"Think about picking up your girlfriend from the airport instead."

"Mhmm...I'll think about that while you're in Sweden."

"Okay. I-", she got cut off by the knocking on her door. "Yes?"

"Hey you two. I just wanted to get you down for dinner. Barbara made lasagna."

"Yes!", Arizona exclaimed at her father's words.

"I am not really hungry", Callie answered. Her stomach was aching since yesterday and she first thought it was the nerves of flying alone for the second time. Or maybe the thoughts of being apart from Arizona. But it had gotten worse and if she was honest, she was not feeling good at all, but she'd pushed that aside, not wanting to worry anyone.

"Are you okay? You never turn down lasagna."

"Yeah, I am good. Just, not hungry. I'll come down with you, though."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay", the blonde chirped and rubbed her tummy with her hands. "Mhmm...lasagna, I am coming!"

xxx

Despite biology was still one of her favorite classes, Callie couldn't focus. The gripes in her lower abdomen were most definitely not nice. And apparently not something she could ignore. Plus, she felt dizzy. But it was only two more hours to go and she could make that, right? Two hours was not too hard. And then practice. Maybe she could skip that today.

"Calliope, are you okay?"

"Yeah", she squeezed out though she felt really sick. But she couldn't get sick now. She was going to see her parents again and she was looking forward to it so much. There was no way she was getting sick now.

"You don't look okay", Arizona whispered as their teacher turned his back to them to write something on the blackboard. It was nothing too important, it were the last days of the academic year anyways. And her girlfriend – God, she liked the sound of that a lot – looked like she was somehow in pain.

"It's nothing. Just a little stomach ache", the Latina whispered back, her face betraying her as it contorted with pain.

"Calliope, no. I know what a little pain looks like and you're having more than that." The harsh whispers that left her lips were just a little bit too loud and caught the attention of the teacher.

"Do you have anything to say to this, Arizona?"

"No", she mumbled and waited for the teacher to turn to the board again, before she leaned in and whispered the brunette's name again.

"Really, I am fine." She wasn't.

Placing a hand on the Latina's thigh, she felt the heat radiating from it, even through her pants. Sure, Callie's body was always a little warmer than hers. It was nice though. When she got cold during the nights they slept in the same bed, she scooted closer to her and soaking up the body heat. But this was different. "Calliope..." She looked at the brunette. Her face supported by her hands, her skin paler than usual. "Mr. Crouch, I think Calliope's sick", Arizona said before the Latina could stop her.

Turning around and making his way over to the two girls, he looked at Callie and noticed the tiredness on her face.

"I'm fine, Mr. Crouch", the young teenager tried to convince him before he could say anything.

"Well, I am your teacher and that's my decision to make", he answered with an understanding smile. He'd seen a lot and he knew eager students and he really appreciated them, but he also could see when something was off. "Do you want me to call your parents?"

"Mr. Crouch, Calliope's living with us while her parents are in Sweden". Arizona told him. Though their class teacher knew and possibly a few other teachers as well, not everybody knew about the Latina's living situation.

"I see.", he nodded. "Do you want me to call Mrs. Robbins then?"

"Yes, she wants that", the blonde insisted.

"I can stay."

"No, Calliope. You can't. Mr. Crouch, I think she's having a fever", Arizona objected and looked at her teacher.

Noticing the concern in the girl's eyes, he placed his right hand on the brunette's forehead. "I think you're right", he finally said. "Call your mom, Arizona. Calliope's going home now."

"Okay!"

xxx

"Is Calliope feeling better now?", Daniel asked. They were having dinner and Barbara had just filled him in on the things that happened today. Timothy was spending the night with his grandparents because other than Callie and Arizona, his Summer Break had already started today. The perks of being in elementary school.

"She's upstairs and last time I checked, she was still asleep. Maybe it's just a stomach bug, but she's not vomiting or something. She just says that her stomach is aching a lot."

"Do you think it's something more serious? Did she tell you how long she's been feeling the pain?", her husband wanted to know.

"Three days, this one included", Barbara answered.

That made the girl sitting across her look up. She didn't know Callie wasn't feeling good. She hadn't said anything. Or did she? Arizona tried to replay the last days conversations in her head, but up until today at school, the Latina hadn't mentioned something like that. And even then, she had denied it.

"And still no vomiting? That's a little long fur a normal stomach bug. How high is her body temperature?"

"103 degrees Fahrenheit."

"What?", Arizona asked. They had body temperatures in biology class and 103 degrees was definitely pretty high.

"That is not good."

"I know. God, Daniel, I know this. I am a mother", she defended herself. "She's been sleeping ever since I got her home from school. She didn't even drink the chamomile tea I made her. She just took a few sips and fell asleep."

"Barbara, you know I didn't mean it that way. It's just...I think we should take her to the doctor."

"What do you think it is?"

"I don't know. It could be anything. From nothing to worry about at all to something pretty serious."

"You're right", Barbara said. "I am going to wake her."

"Wait!", Arizona stopped her mom from getting up. "Can I come with you?"

"Dimples. You have to get some sleep and it can be pretty late until we get home", Daniel reasoned.

"No. I want to come with you, please", the blonde pleaded.

"Arizona."

"Daddy, no. Please. She's...I want to be with her." She'd stopped herself from revealing their secret. But, it was close.

"You can wake her, if you want. But Arizona, we have to get her to the hospital and we don't know how long this will take and you have school tomorrow", Barbara tried. They knew their daughter could be pretty persistent. Something she'd definitely inherited from her father, like most of characteristics. Although she looked so much like her mom, she acted more and more like Daniel.

"I want to come with you."

"Arizona...", Daniel tried again.

"NO!", Arizona answered, her voice strong and clear. She pushed her chair back and then, it slipped: "She's my girlfriend and I want to be there with her!" Leaving her parents stunned and speechless, she ran upstairs into Callie's room. It wasn't meant to come out like this and she didn't know how her parents – how the Colonel – would take it. She crawled into the brunette's bed. Callie's body felt like it was on fire. Her body was glowing and didn't move an inch when she put her arm around the girl, the fever had completely taken over the teenager's body. "It's going to be okay. We're taking you to the hospital", she whispered and placed a light kiss on Callie's cheek. "And I am coming with you."

xxx

"Did...did she...she say?", Daniel stammered, completely taken aback by his daughter's words and her sudden outburst.

"Not now, Daniel", Barbara warned and stood up from the table as well.

"But she said-"

"Not now, Daniel", she repeated and gave her husband a look that it was out of discussion for now. "We need to get Calliope to the hospital."

"But she said-"

"Daniel! I know what she said. And I know what you're probably thinking. But this is not the right time", she pleaded with him. Her daughter's words would surely start a storm in the Robbins' household. Daniel was a marine through and through. His father has been one and so was his grandfather. This was just who he was raised to be and it were the rules he followed all his life.

"We need to talk about this."

"Yes", she agreed. "But it's not our number one priority right now."

"You're right."

"I know. I go and get the girls, can you maybe try and call Susan? I don't want her to be worried, but she's a nurse so maybe she knows what it could be."

"But we will talk about it. You and me and Arizona."

"Daniel."

"Barbara", he said with a stern voice.

"Okay. Later."

"Fine."

Daniel could scoff and huff as much as he wanted, she would not bail today. Although there was a big chance he would not be more understanding after a few hours, she would try and talk him out of his interrogation style. Their daughter was barely a teenager, not one of his adult subordinates. And though they raised her to be strong, she'd rather talk to her first without her husband being there too.

Plus, she knew it. At least, she sensed the difference in the way the girls interacted. Of course she didn't think it was true, but something was definitely different. Arizona's looks. Callie's behavior. And then the kiss to the cheek when the young brunette had left for Sweden the first time. It didn't surprise her after all. And it shouldn't her husband as well. They've always been close and he had no problem with it. So, maybe they would just work through it.

When she made it to the Latina's room, she could hear Arizona's quiet sobs behind the closed door and it broke her heart. She opened the door without knocking first and found both girls lying on the bed under the blanket, the nightlight the only thing illuminating the room a little bit. "Dimples", she whispered, making a blond head lift up from the pillow. "Go, put some shoes on."

"I can come with you?", Arizona asked, her fingers unconsciously gripping the blanket beneath her.

"Yes", she answered with a smile and watched as her daughter slowly got out of the bed.

"Is the Colonel mad at me?" Blue eyes were looking up at her mom as she stood before her. She always called her father 'the Colonel' when she thought he was mad or angry with her.

"No, Dimples."

"Okay", she mumbled and rushed passed her mom to get downstairs.

She sat down on the bed and brushed over the young girl's dark hair. "Calliope, sweetie."

"Hmm", came a barely audible reaction from the Latina.

"I know you want to sleep, Calliope, but you have to wake up for a few minutes, okay?"

"Hmm."

"Are you still in pain?"

Getting only a weak nod in response, Barbara decided to let her sleep and get Daniel to help her instead. He could still carry her, even if it wasn't as easy as it was when she was the little girl she still remembered so well.

"Hey...", Daniel knocked on the door frame. "Susan said it could be her appendix."

"That explains the fever", Barbara nodded. "Can you carry her downstairs? Her fever is still so high."

"Of course. Susan said, she'll book a flight and be here as soon as possible."

"Does she think that's needed?"

"With such a high fever, Susan said they will do an appendectomy and that we have to get her to the hospital now."

"Okay. Dimples should be waiting downstairs anyway."

"I am still not okay with her going...", Daniel started, but his features were really soft, "but I would insist just as much if it was you and me."

His words made Barbara smile. Her husband had a good heart, it's what she loved so much about him. She stepped aside to let him get the girl while she grabbed the blanket.

"She's burning", he whispered.

"I know", she nodded. "Let's get going."


	20. This is my home Part 8

**AN: Sorry for the delay... I had a lot of personal trouble and managing that came first. I hope I get an update on TIAM2 out soon but I can't make any promises right now. I am sorry. Thanks to all who are sticking with me and the stories!**

* * *

"What do we have here?"The doctor pushed the curtain aside and stepped in, three residents following her. "I am Dr. Bessin, pediatric surgery."

"Robbins."

"Robbins?", one of the residents wondered. "The chart says Calliope Torres, abdominal pain."

"This is Calliope Torres."

"She's not your daughter?"

"No", Daniel answered and gripped both shoulders of his daughter to stop her from talking. Though she probably didn't hear it anyways. She was holding the young Latina's hand, her thumb caressing the soft fair skin of the sleeping girl.

"Then you have to leave the room."

"But-", Arizona started, but got cut off by her mom.

"She's our goddaughter and she's living with us while her parents are not here. So, you tell me again to leave my goddaughter alone while she's in pain and I may have to talk to the chief of surgery", Barbara argued.

"That won't be necessary", Dr. Bessin reassured her, telling the residents silently to not say another word. "Can you tell how long she's in pain?"

"Three days. She didn't mention it until today though."

"Did she tell you were the pain is?"

"She said it started all over, but now it's solely on the right side."

"Did it hurt when she was walking?"

"I... I don't know", Barbara answered, shaking her head.

"Did she eat?"

"Not really. She skipped dinner last night and barely touched her breakfast this morning."

"And the fever?", the doctor asked.

"103. She's been sleeping all afternoon_."_

"Please, can you tell me what's wrong with her?", Arizona asked, her blue eyes begging the doctor to tell her Callie was going to be okay.

"From what you've told me, I'd say it's her appendix. I would like to run a blood test first and get an ultrasound done, though. Sometimes there are patients with similar symptoms and in the end, surgery is done for nothing."

"Okay. How long will that take?", Daniel asked.

"An hour to get the results of the blood test back and Dr. Lunk will do the ultrasound right away."

"Will she need surgery?"

"Likely. The tests will only tell the urgency of it. Maybe we can wait until tomorrow", Dr. Bessin said with a smile.

"Okay", Daniel nodded and turned to look at his wife, "I'll call Susan again, see if she already knows when she'll be here."

"Thank you."

"You can stay in here for the ultrasound, if you want?", the pediatric surgeon said, only getting an eager nod from the blonde girl in response. "Okay. Temperature and pulse have already been checked", she said as she read the chart once again. "Dr. Lunks, you'll examine her stomach before you do the ultrasound and then get back to me", she ordered and left the room.

xxx

"Dimples, will you please stop pacing? You're making your mom all nervous." They were sitting in the waiting room of the pediatric floor while Dr. Bessin was doing an appendectomy on Callie. Well, his wife and him. Arizona was walking up and down, Mr. Turtles' fin trapped in the tight grip of her hand. How she had even thought about taking the stuffed toy with them and that she seriously jumped out of the car to go and get it, was completely beyond him.

"Why does it take so long?", she asked, her eyes glued to the clock on the wall, telling her it was close to 10pm. When Dr. Bessin came back to them, blood and ultrasound results in her hand, she told them that Callie would need surgery as soon as possible. And if she wouldn't have been worried before, she'd be definitely worried as she heard the word surgery.

"It's not like they've been in there an hour already."

"It's been 45 minutes already!"

"A surgery needs time, Dimples.

"But how long?", the girl whined.

"Arizona Robbins, stop whining and sit down. You're walking a trench into the floor."

"But-"

"Now!" He didn't want to sound so mean or mad. He was partly still trying to understand the whole girlfriend thing and he was worried so about the young Latina, though he knew the doctors were helping her.

"Daniel", his wife chastised.

"Sorry. Dimples, will you please sit down?"

"I am sorry too, dad", Arizona mumbled and sat down in the chair next to her father. "Do you think we can see her when she wakes up?"

"I think your mom made it perfectly clear that she will not be left alone in the room until Susan gets here."

"Daniel, do you think you could get us some coffee? Or tea would be better, actually", Barbara asked.

"Of course. Do you want anything, Dimples?"

"No, thanks."

"I'll be back in a few", Daniel said and walked away.

"Arizona?"

"Hmm?", the blonde said and looked up.

"Come here, I want to talk to you", her mom said, patting the seat where Daniel had been sitting only a minute ago.

"Is this about earlier?"

"Yes."

"Oh...", she replied, her eyes finding the floor again.

"Do you know what you said?"

"Yes", came a weak answer.

"You said girlfriend. And do you know what those words mean?"

"I guess."

"What does it mean to you?", Barbara wanted to know.

"Calliope is my girlfriend", Arizona stated before she answered her mom's question. "And that means that I like her... a lot."

"Okay. But just because you like her doesn't mean you have to be girlfriends. You don't call everyone you like your girlfriend."

"No. But with Calliope, it's different."

"Why is it different?" She tried to be as understanding as she could. Frankly, she thought Arizona was too young to have a girlfriend – or a boyfriend for that matter – even if it was Callie. She wasn't even a teenager yet.

"It feels different. I want to be with her all the time. I feel weird when she's not around. I missed her so much when she was in Sweden. When I think about her, I get all warm and tingly and when she's with me, I feel like I could, I don't know, save the world?"

Chuckling at her daughter's words, Barbara put her right arm around the girl's shoulders. "It's a good feeling, isn't it?"

"The best... second to kissing her", Arizona admitted.

"You kissed already?" How did she not notice that?

"Yeah...", the blonde answered slowly. "Don't be mad at me, mom."

"I... I am not mad at you. Shocked that I had no clue and that you didn't tell me. But I am not mad. How long has this been going on?"

"Uhm..."

"That long, huh?"

Arizona only nodded. "But nothing else, in case you wonder. Just kissing, I promise."

"Well, how does it feel?", Barbara asked, already relieved that she had not to ask this question while being in the hospital.

"Amazing! It's like fireworks on New Year's Eve. Or like flying. Okay, no, not like flying because I don't like flying that much. But it's definitely good. Like the world is upside down and I feel like I am losing my breath, does that make sense?", she asked her mom.

"It does. Very much so. But Dimples, we will have to talk about it. Your dad wants to talk with you and I will be there too."

"He's mad, right? I knew he would be mad. I know he's a marine. But mommy, it feels so good. I don't want to stop it."

"We will see about that, Arizona. Your father loves you and he would not want you to get hurt. But we will have to talk to you and there have to be some rules."

"Rules?"

"Yes, rules. You're too young to do anything else than kissing."

"What? Mom, we're not, we didn't... we wouldn't... moooooooom!"

"Okay", Barbara laughed, totally satisfied with her twelve year old daughter's reaction. "That's a relief."

"That's... Dr. Bessin!", the blonde rushed out of her chair when she saw the doctor walking towards them, never finishing her sentence. "Is Calliope okay? Please tell me she's okay.

"Yes, she is. She'll wake up soon."

"Can I see her? Please?"

"I think that would be okay. Let me talk to your mom first and then I'll take you to her, okay?" Giving the girl a smile as she walked ahead.

"Okay, thank you", she replied politely.

"Mrs. Robbins, since her parents aren't here yet, I'd like to tell you how it went."

"Of course. Were there complications?"

"No, not at all. It went perfectly fine", she reassured, noticing the concern in Mrs. Robbins voice. "She'll have to stay for a few days though. Do you know when her parents get here?"

"Her mother will get here early tomorrow morning, She's flying in from Sweden."

"Dr. Bessin, I hope you're bringing good news", Daniel said as he came back, two cups in his hands. Tea for his wife and coffee for him.

"I was just saying that I would take you to the girl's room now. She should be waking up in a few minutes."

"Well then, lead the way before our daughter's running the halls and look for her herself", he laughed and handed his wife the cup of tea when she was walking next to him.

xxx

"Mom?", a weak Callie asked when she woke up again and saw Susan next to her bed. She'd woken up yesterday after her surgery but had been pretty exhausted. Add the pain meds she had in her system, she was back to sleep immediately.

"Yeah, baby girl. I am here", Susan replied. "How do you feel? Are you in pain?" She put her hand on the girl's forehead to feel if she was still having a fever, but she was relieved that it was almost back to normal.

The young Latina nodded and took in her surroundings, blinking fiercely. "Where-", she coughed.

Susan took the cup from the nightstand and placed the straw between Callie's lips so the girl could take a few sips of water. "In the hospital, sweetie. You had surgery yesterday", she answered the unfinished question and pushed the little button to get a nurse into her daughter's room. Though she knew how to give her daughter the medication, she was not allowed to do it herself.

"Surgery?"

"Yes. They had to take out your appendix. You scared us."

"Oh... my stomach hurts." It wasn't meant to come out as a whine, but it hurt a lot. And now that she knew that there was a cut, it hurt even more.

"I know, sweetie. They'll soon give you something, I promise."

Again, Callie just nodded. "Arizona?"

"Daniel took her home after they were sure you were out of surgery. Barbara stayed until I got here, though, making sure you wouldn't be alone if you'd wake up."

"Okay. Where's dad?"

"He couldn't come right away. He tries and talks to the principal of his school, maybe he can get a few days off too."

"I wanted to come to Sweden."

"I know you did, baby. And you still can. You just have to get better first, okay? And you need to promise me that next time, you tell me or anybody else when you are in pain."

"I didn't take it serious. I thought it would go away", Callie answered and lowered her head, thinking Susan would scold her. "Are you mad?"

"Mad? Baby, no! I am relieved that it was just your appendix and that you got here in time. You'll be okay in a few days and we just postpone your flight until you are better, okay? We can even fly out together."

That made the girl smile. "You're staying here?"

"Of course. I'm not leaving you alone until you're better." She noticed that Callie was trying to sit up and hug her but she stopped her. "Don't. The incision is too fresh for you to move that much, okay?" So instead, she leaned down, placed a chaste kiss on the brunette's forehead and smiled. "Do you know that Barbara scared a resident?"

"A what?"

"Resident. You know when people pass Med School, they do an internship at a hospital and after that they are residents", she explained.

Nodding, Calling asked what Barbara had done. Because in her eyes, her godmother couldn't hurt a fly. She was so kind and always sweet. Of course, she'd set boundaries for her daughter and for the Latina as well since she lived with them, but she was never mean or yelled at them, even when she was mad.

Just before she was about to answer, a nurse came in, so she waited. Once morphine was dripping through the IV she made sure the coast was clear. Nurses were gossiping enough, she didn't need to fuel the fire about the residents. "One of the residents tried to tell them that they would have to leave your room, because they are not your family. Barbara didn't take it so well and got a little overprotective and told them they were staying or she would talk to the chief of surgery, because there was no way they were leaving you." Watching her girl stifling a laughter, she said: "Yeah, I had to laugh too when Daniel told me."

"I didn't know they were there all the time", Callie admitted.

"You slept through most of it because of the fever. Barbara told me, Daniel had to carry you from your bed to the car... and she told me another thing."

"What's that?"

"You have a girlfriend now?"

"Oh... well... yeah. It's pretty new", the Latina answered with an apologizing smile. "I wanted to tell you in person, not over Skype. And we just talked about it. I didn't know Barbara knew."

"Arizona kinda blurted it out."

"Oh no..."

"Hey, baby girl... well, I think I should not call you that anymore", she chuckled. "I just want you to know that it's okay. Liam and I, we just want you to be happy."

"What about Barbara and Daniel?"

"They will be okay with it too", Susan smiled, repeating her friend's words. They'd talked about it before Barbara had left. She already knew about Daniel's behavior but didn't want to upset her daughter.

"Really?", Callie asked with wide eyes.

"Yes. We all need some time to adjust and you sure need new rules, but we'll be okay with it. We love you", she answered, still smiling.

"Thank you", the young Latina replied, smiling too now. "I love you too, mom." She felt her eyes getting heavier and as much as she tried, she couldn't hold back the yawns.

"I know, sweetie. Sleep some more, the medication is enough to take in. I'll be here when you wake up, okay?"

"Okay", she mumbled and soon, sleep took over.

xxx

"I am home!", Arizona burst through the front door. "Can we go to the hospital now?"

"Arizona, come sit with me for a bit", Daniel's voice sounded through the house.

She gulped, but the knot that was immediately forming in her throat wouldn't go away. "Yeah?"

"Sit down, we have to talk."

"Daddy, I-"

"Don't daddy me, Arizona. I just want to talk to you about the thing you said yesterday."

"Oh... okay?"

"You know I am a marine."

"Yes, Sir."

"And you know that my father and grandfather were marines too."

"Yes, Sir."

"You know we have rules and ideals."

"Yes, Sir."

"Do you understand, that you took your mother and me by surprise when you told us Calliope is your girlfriend?"

"Yes, Sir", Arizona answered, her eyes focusing on her shoes.

"Did you know what you were talking about? It takes a lot to make someone your boyfriend or... girlfriend."

"I know, Sir. But I like Calliope... a lot", she admitted. "And it's the best feeling I ever had." Though he probably knew anyways, she was not going to tell him, that they were kissing for quite a while already.

"I know you like her. You've been inseparable since you became best friends and maybe you are mistaking your friendship for something deeper."

"I am not, Sir", she said, her voice strong and her eyes not avoiding her father's gaze anymore. She had to make him understand that this was real. "I am young and I know this. And I know that I don't know much about love, but Calliope is my girlfriend because I think I love her. Or that I could love her, Sir. I have other friends too and I don't think about them like that."

"What are you thinking?", he asked.

"Everything and nothing. It's like I can't breathe when I'm with her but it's even worse when I'm not with her." Her father's expression didn't change, so she just went on. "I don't know how to explain it. I just know that everything feels better when we're together."

He sighed. He knew this feeling. Yes, he was a marine through and through, but there was no marine or whatsoever in this world that was not helpless when it came to love. And maybe his daughter didn't know what love was supposed to feel like, but her words made it very clear. "Well then, I have only one thing left to say."

"Huh? Dad, I... I know as a marine, it's hard for you but can't you understand it? Can't you at least try? Please dad, please." She was so scared he was going to make her break up with Callie. They just clarified they were girlfriends. This couldn't be it already. "Daddy, please."

He got it. She was afraid. His reaction last night hadn't been the best. Arizona had been scared and he was not there for her when he should have been. And after talking to his wife, he saw it too. "Are you still who we raised you to be? A good man in a storm? Who loves and fights for her believes?"

"Of course, daddy." She didn't understand what he wanted to hear from her. Yes, she had her little moments when she wanted and tried to rebel against her parents. But in the end, she never did. Quite the opposite. She did everything to be the person they were raising since she was a little girl.

"That is all I need to know. You are my daughter. You are my little strong soldier and seeing you stand up to us yesterday so you could go to the hospital with us, was all we ever want you to be."

His wife had been right. Arizona was their daughter and if he wasn't man enough to bend for her, what kind of a father would he be?

"So... you're... okay with this?"

"I will get there, eventually. It will take some time, Dimples. But I want you to know that you are still – and that you will always be – my daughter. No matter what, okay?"

Letting out a happy sigh, Arizona jumped out of her chair and into her father's arms. "I love you, daddy."

"We love you too, Dimples. There is a but, though."

"Oh oh..."

"There will be new rules for both of you."

"Rules?", the blonde asked.

"Yes. Rules. You may be in a relationship, but some things are... you both are too young for some things you do in a relationship."

"Daddy!" Pushing herself out of her father's arms at these words, she stared at him wide eyed. She couldn't believe that both her parents were telling her such embarrassing things. Though they were at home now and not somewhere public, it was still not something she wanted to talk about – with her father!

"I'm serious, Arizona. Some things are off limits for a few years, okay? You can hold hands and... kiss... and cuddle. But everything that goes further than that, I will not be okay with. And your mother thinks the same. Because you are still twelve years old and just because you can't get each other accidentally pregnant, doesn't mean you are allowed to go all the way next week."

"Okay. That's enough. I am twelve years old. I don't want to hear about this. Seriously. Don't ruin my innocence!" With that, she walked out of the room, leaving Daniel counting to three until she came back. And just when he called the last number in his head, she hollered for him that she would wait in the car so they could go to the hospital.

xxx

Looking up because of the knocking on her door, Callie instantly smiled as she spotted her girlfriend entering the room.

"Hey...", the blonde said timidly and walked up to sit down on the bed beside the Latina's body. "How do you feel?"

"Better. Mom said the fever is gone. You came here alone?"

"No, dad brought me over on his way to work. You scared me, you know?", she admitted. "Does it hurt?"

"No, right now it doesn't."

"Good. So I can... give you a kiss?"

"Please", Callie begged and felt the warm feeling spread through her body when Arizona leaned in to connect their lips for a few seconds.

When they parted, both wore matching smiles and Callie's got even wider as Arizona placed her hand on her girlfriend's cheek. "School is boring without you", she pouted.

"It's just one more day", the brunette chuckled and that movement made her wince in pain.

"You said it doesn't hurt!"

"It didn't. Laughing hurts though." She looked at the blonde and chewed on her bottom lip. "So... your parents know?"

"Yes", she answered after inhaling deeply.

"Not good?"

"Embarrassing!"

"Yours too?", Callie asked. If she could, she would have walked away from Susan telling her about sex and everything else that came along being in a relationship.

"Yeah. Mommy had her moment last night when we were waiting for you. And daddy tried right after school when I got home."

"They know we're too young for that, right?"

"Yes, that's why they were trying to tell us... it's... did you think about it?", she wanted to know.

"No... did you?"

"No. As you said before, we're too young."

"Yes. We should wait. I am perfectly fine with kissing you."

"Me too", Arizona breathed out, and kissed Callie again. "Perfectly, _perfectly_ fine. Do you know when you'll get discharged?"

"Susan said, I'll be here for about a week, maybe five days, if I'm lucky."

"That long? What about your flight, your vacation?"

"We'll leave when I'm okay. Thanks for thinking of Mr. Turtles by the way. It's nice to have him here with me."

"You're welcome", the girl grinned a dimpled smile. "You have him since you were here the first time."

"Mhmm", Callie smiled. "Best present ever."

"Again, you're welcome."

Silence filled the room for a few minutes. Both girls just happy to be with each other, when there was another knock on the door and Barbara stepped in. "Hey Calliope, do you feel better?"

"A lot. Thank you."

"Happy to hear that", she smiled. "Arizona, we have to go. Swimming class starts in 30 minutes and I promised your father to drop you off and not let you stay here. "

"But, mom-"

"Don't start it, Arizona. I know you want to stay and I can understand it, but your dad and I agreed that you would not miss the last practice before summer break. You can come back tomorrow. Calliope needs to rest anyway."

"Okay. I...", she hesitated. She wanted to give Callie a kiss, but with her mom in the room? "Uhm..."

"I'll wait outside, okay? Calliope, get well soon."

"Thank you, Barbara", the Latina replied with a smile and then looked over to her girlfriend. "You can kiss me now, she's gone."

"I did not-! How did you-? Fine", she confessed and bent down to capture her girlfriend's lips in a longer kiss in which Callie happily participated. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?", she whispered against full lips. "Sweet dreams, Calliope."

"Sweet dreams, Arizona", the brunette said and watched her perky girlfriend leave the room. God, she missed her already and she hated this hospital. It brought back so many memories she had put in a box and locked away for so long. But she knew, although she would never get her parents back, she had Susan and Liam who loved her so very much and whom she loved as much in return. It was okay to miss her family but she couldn't wish for a better home than the one she had.


	21. I just mhmm

**AN: So, this is the part where it starts to get into the M-ish chapters. We're not completely there yet, but we have the overly tingly feelings and the curiosity going through their bodies. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 4 – I just... mhmm**

"I'm staying the night at Calliope's!", Arizona announced as she rushed down the stairs and past the living room where her parents were sitting, drinking coffee like they usually did on Saturday afternoons. If she was lucky, she'd make it through the door without being stopped by her father.  
Ever since Callie had moved back in with her parents ten months ago, her father gave her a lecture every so often about their rules and because he hadn't done that in a few weeks now, she was afraid, today would be one of those days. She already had a good grip on the handle, as her mother's voice reached her ear.

"Arizona Robbins, stop right now!"

Rolling her blue eyes and slowly letting go of the handle, she turned around. "Mom", the blonde started as she entered the living room. "I know the rules. You're telling me for more than two years now, I can recite them in my sleep!" She made a serious face and lifted her index finger as if she was giving a lecture. "No sex. No staying up longer than midnight. No sleeping in until noon. No scary movies." Though she was very much okay with the last one because she hated those movies, she didn't need the other ones. She was still okay with watching her beloved Disney movies... but Callie would probably stop watching movies with her if it would always be one of them.

"I just wanted to remind you to be back before lunch tomorrow, because your grandparents are coming over", Barbara said, laughing at the facial expression her daughter was making.

"Oh... okay", she chirped with a wide grin. "Can I go now?"

"Is your homework done?", Daniel wanted to know.

"Homework? What homework?"

"Dimples..."

"Of course, dad. Calliope and I did them in school."

"I don't know if I should be happy about that or if I should tell you to focus in class", her father said, shaking his head. Both girls seemed to have absolutely no problems in school. No matter the class, they were on top and even helped their classmates if needed.

"We focus. We're just always finished before the others. We're super smart."

"We raised a very modest daughter, Daniel", Barbara chuckled. "So, 1pm, Arizona. Not ten minutes late like the last time. We're not waiting for you to start lunch again."

"Got it, mom", the girl replied annoyed.

"Watch your tone, Arizona. Just because you're fifteen now, doesn't mean you can talk to us like you're talking to your friends", Daniel scolded her.

"I am sorry. Can I please, _pretty pretty please_ go now?", she asked, flashing them her best dimpled smile. She just wanted to go and see her girlfriend. They were going steady ever since the summer they labeled their relationship and when Arizona turned fifteen, Callie uttered the words the blonde wanted to hear so desperately. The memory of the first I love you still gave her butterflies at the size of elephants even more so, because the Latina had said them first. Of course she'd said it back. There was no way she could have hold those words back any longer. They were still on first base though. Maybe a few inches away from second, but up until now, there hadn't been much more than kissing and some on top of their clothes touching and Arizona wanted, _needed_ to change that. The thought of the brunette's body gave her all kinds of weird feelings. Good weird. She yearned to touch her skin. Maybe, once they were snuggled up under the blanket, she could try and start at Callie's stomach and make her way upwards to the Latina's chest. Maybe she'd have to distract her with some kisses, but that was something, the blonde would do in a heartbeat. Her girlfriend was hot, as far as she was concerned. And the most beautiful girl she'd ever seen and she wasn't the only one to notice.

"Yes", her mom finally breathed out and released the blonde from the spot where she was waiting. As soon as that word left her lips, her daughter was out of sight, soon followed by the sound of a door falling into the lock. "She's even more happy since Calliope told her she loves her", Barbara sighed.

"I never thought it was possible, but she is. I am happy for her, too."

"Me too", she answered and smiled at her husband and added with a wink, "And it's better than shooing away all the potential boyfriends."

"There would be no way she'd spending the night over there if Calliope was a boy." Though he had his problems in the beginning and needed some time to adjust, his daughter's relationship was one of the purest and deepest he'd ever witnessed, much like his own marriage. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't be against a love as beautiful as this.

"I know, darling. I know."

xxx

When the Latina opened the front door, she was immediately pushed backwards by a smaller but strong girl and before she could even say hello, a pair of soft lips was pressed against her own so fiercely, it took her breath away.

"Hey", Arizona rasped as she detached herself from her girlfriend's mouth and grabbed the brunette's left hand instead.

"Hey yourself", Callie answered as she found her voice. "What was that for?"

"Nothing. I just missed you and wanted to give my girlfriend a proper hello", the blonde smiled.

"You've seen me on the court this morning", the girl countered. "And afterwards."

"Yeah", Arizona answered and swallowed at the image of Callie's long toned and tanned legs in her volleyball shorts and her upper body in the 'Captain Torres' shirt. When they were freshmen in High School, Callie had joined the volleyball team and Arizona, of course, joined the school's swimming team, but unlike in Junior High, Callie was not the team leader anymore. Which was totally fine with the Latina, but Arizona loved her girlfriend's Captain shirt so much, she kept it and sometimes wore it for the nights when they were not together. Which unfortunately was every night except for Friday's and Saturday's. Anyways, now they were Juniors and Callie was named Captain again, right after the summer break actually, and that made the blonde really proud, because she deserved it. She was so good and although she was a left-hander, she practiced really hard for more than a year and now she could serve and smash with both hands. Not equally accurate, but it took her foes by surprise when she sometimes used her right hand instead of her left. And she jumped so high, arching her back to get the most possible power behind her hits. God, Arizona had it bad. Like, _really _bad.

"You wanna go upstairs? We can start with the movie already. Susan and Liam are out for dinner and said we should just order pizza if we get hungry." "Really?"

"Yeah", Callie smiled.

"So, we're alone?", Arizona asked, wriggling her eyebrows. That was rare. Usually, one parent was at home. It wasn't because they didn't trust the girls. It just was. But now...

"Yes", the Latina affirmed her and headed for the kitchen. "Water and Coke okay?"

"Sure", the blonde called out while toeing off her shoes and a minute later her girlfriend came back, a bottle in each hand and two cups upside down on top of one of them. "Do you need some help?"

"No, I got it", Callie replied. "Can you just open the door to my room?"

The dimpled girl smiled and sprinted up the stairs only to greet Callie, holding the door open for her and making a bow while saying, "My Lady."

"You're such a goof sometimes!"

"But you love me", she pouted.

"I do. So, _so_ much." She put the bottles and the cups down on her desk and turned around to face the blonde. Pulling the blonde closer by her hand, she put her arms around the smaller girl's frame and breathed in the scent of Arizona's shampoo. "You're my goof."

"Oddly, I'm very okay with being your goof" Arizona grinned and captured Callie's lips in a soft kiss. She felt the grip around her waist tighten as she traced her girlfriend's bottom lip with her tongue and her hands tangled in soft dark tresses. God, she loved the Latina's hair. It was so long and fell in silky soft waves over her shoulders. It was just stunning. Calliope was stunning.

"We should", Callie started but was cut off by the blonde's lips. "Start with", she tried again, when Arizona needed to take a breath but was stopped immediately. "A movie."

"Mhmm... I like what we're doing right now", Arizona breathed against full lips. Her body and mind were running on overdrive and she just couldn't stop it.

Turning her head to the side as Arizona tried to kiss her again, Callie said, "Seriously, I mean it."

"Fine", the blonde huffed.

"You mad?"

"No. I'll go and change", she answered and left Callie alone.

Knowing Arizona had meant 'yes', she inhaled deeply. She didn't want to stop. God, she never wanted to stop kissing her girlfriend. But there was only so much she could handle without losing control over her actions. And when Arizona kissed her like that controlling herself was one of the hardest things.  
Shaking her head to get rid of the thoughts, she pulled her hoody over her head and when she turned around again, Arizona was standing there, dressed in a pair of shorts and a gorgeous tight shirt, revealing her absolutely magnificent body. She'd changed so much over the last year. Both of them did, but Callie noticed every change her girlfriend's body had gone through. She was still sporty and pretty thin, but she had hipbones to die for and Callie knew they were hidden under the dark blue fabric.

"I am sorry", the blonde mumbled and kissed her on the cheek. "Which movie will it be for tonight?"

"I thought about... Stardust? I know you like that one and it's not Disney", she joked.

"Oooh, Yvaine is _so_ beautiful when she's glowing!", Arizona beamed, clapping her hands.

"So?", Callie asked, raising one of her eyebrows Susan had lately started shaping for her.

"I mean, not as beautiful as you, of course not. But she glows", Arizona stated.

"Yeah yeah, I know. Maybe I should find a way to glow too", the Latina teased, nudging the blonde's hips with her own. "So, start?"

"Yes, please!"

xxx

"Aawww, look at that. They love each other and just don't admit it", Arizona squealed when Tristan had just pushed Yvaine out of the way to protect her and ended up landing ungracefully on top of her. She snuggled impossible closer to her girlfriend who had one arm around her to hold her near and the other one was laying lazily on her stomach, their fingers intertwined.

"Mhmm", the brunette hummed. She'd stopped paying attention to the movie a while ago. Somehow she found the rising and falling of the blonde's chest a lot more interesting.

"They are so cute. And she's way better than that chick he still thinks he wants to marry."

"Mhmm."

"And she's a star! A star! That Victoria girl wouldn't stand a chance even if she was the most kind-hearted person in the world... which she is so not!"

"Mhmm."

"And I think we should ditch school and become a pair of homeless teenagers", Arizona mused when she noticed that Callie was not listening.

"Mhm- wait, what?"

"Oh, now you're listening", the blonde teased and looked up to see those amazing big brown orbs she got lost in more often than not.

"I'm sorry", the Latina answered and blinked a few times to get the pictures she'd just imagined out of her head.

"Mhmm", the dimpled girl hummed and closed the small distance between them to catch her girlfriend's lips in a slow kiss. But as the music in the background increased, their kiss did as well and soon tongues were dancing with and against each other, both girls equally trying to be the one in charge and to control their raging hormones.

Arizona was the first one to throw caution to the wind when she pushed her body even more into Callie's, ending up on top of her, much softer than the guy in the movie.

"What are you-?", Callie tried to ask a question as the blonde took a few seconds to fill her lungs with some much needed air, but was soon stopped by the beautiful pair of lips that belonged to her amazing girlfriend. Her brain wasn't even able to comprehend everything that was happening. She felt the smaller girl's body pushing her deeper into the cushions and a hand wandering down her upper body. Nothing they hadn't done before. But when Arizona's lips moved from her mouth over her yaw-line to her neck, something stirred inside her.

"You're so beautiful", Arizona whispered as she followed the plan she'd made up earlier.

"You don't want to... want to watch... the... the movie?", the young Latina stammered.

"Mhmm, I have something better in mind."

She gulped, audible, and it was so embarrassing. But the blonde's kisses felt too good and as much as Callie tried, her body betrayed her as well as her voice when a small moan escaped her lips.

Grinning, Arizona took her girlfriend's reaction as the affirmation she needed and let her hand glide down the toned stomach and under the hem of Callie's shirt. She felt the muscles twitch under her fingertips and it made her all tingly and smiling. Taking all the courage she could muster and ignoring her nerves, she let her fingers ghost further over her girlfriend's skin, all the while kissing her way back to those full lips she was addicted to. She could feel the elevation of every single bone as her left hand moved along the brunette's costal arch. Just a few more inches and she would be able to feel Callie's breast and everything in her body screamed that she couldn't wait any longer. The skin under her hand was so soft, so smooth. Every nerve ending in the tips of her fingers seemed to be made to ignite a light in her body when she finally reached her goal, her skin finally making contact with the underside of the Latina's breast. "Oh God", she groaned out.

Callie's eyes flew open as she recognized what they were about to do. Her hand jerked upwards and grabbed the blonde's under her shirt. "Stop."

"What?", Arizona asked bewildered and thought she'd done something wrong.

"We should stop."

"You don't like it?" Suddenly, doubts, nerves and insecurity filled her small body, replacing all the good feelings she'd had in an instant. She rolled over and sat up, pulling her legs close to her body.

"What? No! Of course I like it. But we're not ready." Sitting up as well, Callie cupped the blonde's cheeks with her hands.

"Well, I am", Arizona stated, blue eyes locked with brown as she said the words.

"No, you're not. And even if you were, we agreed we'd wait until we're both at least 16."

"You are 16."

"But you're not, Arizona."

"I hate it. I want to be able, allowed to touch you. I love you."

Callie smiled. She felt the same. Both, the love and the want. But she knew it was the right thing to stick to their original pact.

"Do you not want to touch me? Or me touching you?"

"Of course I do, Arizona. God", she kissed her girlfriend with so much force, they almost fell over. "Don't think that I don't want it. I want it. All of it. And maybe we can agree to take it a step further... or two. But we're not ready to do _it_, yet. I am not ready."

Taking a few minutes to think about the brunette's words, Arizona finally nodded and agreed. "You're right. I am not ready to do _it_, yet. But I want to... do more than just kissing."

"I think that can be arranged", Callie answered and flashed the blonde her megawatt smile and closed the distance between them again while tugging a few loose strands of blonde messy curls behind the other girl's ear.

"Yay", Arizona breathed out before their lips met again and she let her hands get tangled in her girlfriend's hair again.

xxx

"Knock knock", Arizona knocked on the partly open door of her girlfriend's bedroom before she stepped in. "What are you doing?"

"Hey you", Callie smiled and looked up from where she was sitting at her desk, a sheet of paper, three different pencils and an eraser in front of her. "Just a little drawing. You just got back from swimming practice?" Secretly, she hid the original picture and turned her work upside down.

"Mhmm", the blonde hummed and walked over to the Latina to greet her with a light peck on a tanned cheek. She'd been practicing a little harder for a few weeks now to have a shot at the next match, because her coach wanted her to try to swim against older girls. And older meant taller and probably stronger. She was not supposed to win this, but being the competitive one her girlfriend was, Arizona spent much of her free time in the water to get better and faster. "Aren't you supposed to be careful with your wrist?"

"My right one is the one that is sore", she replied. It was nothing, really. It was just a little sore from last week's match because she thought she could get to the ball in time, so she plunged towards it and twisted her right hand. Nothing too serious, just a light sprain. Injuries like that came with the sport, actually and it happened to her a few times over the years. "Did you even go home before you came here?"

"No. I called mom, though. She knows I am here and that's all she wants. I thought we could spend the night together, since it's Thanksgiving tomorrow and there's no way dad would let me stay overnight as soon as my grandparents arrive."

"Most likely not", Callie chuckled and leaned back, completely forgetting what she had been doing. "NO!", she burst out as she noticed a pale hand reaching out for the paper and jumped up to turn Arizona around. "You can't see it."

"Why? Is it a secret"?

"No. It's not finished."

"I have seen many of your unfinished drawings before, Calliope. They are still perfect. I love them."

"But this one is special."

"Because...?"

"Because I say so", the Latina answered and pulled Arizona in for a kiss to distract her. She closed the gap between them, put her arms around the smaller frame of her girlfriend and locked their lips. Sometimes she thought she should be used to kissing Arizona by now, but every time they kissed, she got all tingly and the butterflies in her stomach didn't seem to go away.

"Mhmm, not fair", Arizona breathed as she let go of Callie's lips. "You use my weak point to your advantage."

"I learned that from you", the brunette smiled. "So, you're staying the night?"

"If that's okay?"

"Seriously? That shouldn't even be a question. I just tell Susan you're staying."

Arizona shrugged and tried to look past Callie to get a glimpse of the drawing when she said, "She already knows. Told me dinner will be waiting for us in about twenty minutes. Oh, and she told me to check if you were still alive because apparently, you've been in here for more than three hours and she didn't hear anything from you, not even some music."

"You're joking, right?"

"Of course", the blonde grinned and tried again to turn them around and look at the picture. When she failed again, she pouted. "Seriously, Calliope. What's so special about this picture?"

"It is special, can we please leave it at that?", the young Latina pleaded.

Not satisfied with the answer, Arizona tried to cross her arms in front of her chest. "No. I'm your girlfriend, I want to know."

"You can't just play the girlfriend card every time you want something and I say no", Callie laughed. "That's not how it works."

"Pleeeeeeeease", Arizona said, a wide grin on her lips and batting her eyelashes at the other girl.

"No."

"But I said plea-"

"And I said no", she countered.

"Calliope, come on. It's not like it's my birthday present or something because my birthday is months away and even Christmas is still weeks away."

With a lopsided smile, Callie answered, "Maybe I like to be prepared?"

"Please", Arizona asked again, the pout on her lips got even bigger.

Not being able to stand the look in her girlfriend's shining blue eyes, she caved and gave in. "Fine. But it's not finished AND-"

"I don't care", the blonde interrupted her girlfriend and stepped out of the strong embrace, but kept an eye on her, just in case Callie would change her mind. She reached out for the sheet of paper once again and when she was sure she wouldn't be stopped again, she turned it around and looked at it.

"Like I said, it's not finished. Far from it. There are still some things I have to redo and some guidelines to erase and-"

"Sush!"

"Arizona..."

The blonde didn't say anything else. Her eyes were fixed on the drawing. One could clearly make out two dimpled smiles and two sets of bright shining eyes that were pretty close to perfect. She wouldn't see any difference if she would look in the mirror or at her brother for that matter. "How did you-?"

"Uhm, it's one of the pictures I took of the two of you last year. Timmy was all muddy after his soccer match because it had rained for the whole week except for that Saturday. But he won and had to hug his big sister, getting you all muddy too."

"Oh, I remember. I couldn't even be mad at him because he scored like what? Five times? It was a really good day and we got pizza and ice when we got home."

"It was", the Latina smiled and hugged the blonde from behind.

"But why are you doing this?", Arizona asked, leaning back to be as close as possible to the warm body behind her.

"Uhm... I want to give it to your parents for Christmas."

She moved her head to the left and looked up. "For real?"

"Yeah, is that a bad thought?"

"No! Mom will love it! She might even start to cry and hug you for a looooong time, so you better watch out", Arizona winked and turned around. She nuzzled her nose into Callie's neck and inhaled the scent that screamed Calliope for her. "I love you", she whispered.

"I love you, too."

"Girls, dinner is ready", Susan shouted from downstairs, startling her daughter and Arizona.

"Coming!", they yelled in unison and giggled as they noticed it.

"Come on, artist. You need nutrients and fluids and so do I."

"Yes, ma'am", Callie joked and followed her girlfriend.

xxx

After dinner, where their hands had been entwined under the table for most of the time, they headed back upstairs and Callie cleaned up the mess she'd made on her desk, while Arizona zapped through the TV channels, finding nothing but crap.

"There's nothing on", she huffed.

"We can always start a DVD, Arizona", Callie replied with a small smile.

"We know all your movies."

"We know all of yours too."

"We need new movies. More movies. We need a whole room full of movies!"

The Latina couldn't hold back the laughter that was erupting her lips.

"Are you laughing at me?"

"Me? Never. Just... a whole room? A little excessive, don't you think?"

"No. I need at least every Disney movie and then some more!", the blonde exclaimed.

Callie just laughed again. Her girlfriend was still a hopeless case when it came to her beloved kids movies. Even her little brother thought it was annoying sometimes, but the brunette loved every little thing about her girlfriend. Her preference for Disney as well as her dedication for swimming and school.

"I am serious!"

Turning around to the blonde who was lying on her bed, she smiled. "I know. But what do we do until you get all those DVDs?"

"I don't know", Arizona grumbled.

"Maybe you'll find something you want to watch now?", Callie suggested. She knew Arizona would find something once she'd take a look, because after school today, she got two new movies. She just hadn't told her girlfriend because she would squeal – loud.

"Fine", she huffed, jumped of the bed and walked over to the shelf where the Latina had her movie collection lined up from A to Z, which Arizona still found a bit odd, but it was just who Callie was. Her room was always tidy. Everything had its place and though she loved to make a mess out of her room just as much as Arizona loved it, she made sure to clean it up before going to bed or leaving the house. "Wait, something's different."

"Different?"

"Yeah. I know this shelf almost as good as my own and something looks different."

Callie smirked. Yep, Arizona was smart and had pretty good eyes as well.

"Ha! I knew it! I so knew it!", Arizona squealed and clapped her hands while bouncing back and forth on her feet. "You got new ones! You got new movies and didn't tell me. Why didn't you tell me? And when did you get them?"

"After school. I had so much time and I know you. I knew you were coming over and I knew you wanted to stay and I knew you would complain about everything that's on the television."

"Am I that obvious?"

"No, baby", Callie walked up to the blonde and placed her hands on the small hips of her girlfriend. "I just know you for more than half of my life."

"Right", Arizona agreed, welcoming the kiss that the brunette leaned in for.

"So, which one will it be for tonight?"

"I don't know", she sighed.

"Seriously? It's not that hard."

"It is!", the girl objected. "I love love _love _Morning Glory, but I also want to see August Rush."

"Well, I love love _love_ Morning Glory too", Callie mocked. "She reminds me of you. She's so-"

"Watch your words, Missy!"

"Happy and eager and full of energy."

"Oh... okay", the blonde smiled and kissed the full lips of her girlfriend again. "So... Morning Glory?" She knew very well, that Callie had bought this one only for her, like half of her collection, actually. She even had a few Disney movies to watch with her. It was one of the things Arizona loved about her. The little things Calliope did for her.

"Sure", she answered with a smile and snapped the DVD case out of the blonde's hand. "You wanna go and change first?"

"Nah, there's still enough time for that. It's not that late."

"Okay."


	22. I just mhmm Part 2

"Next one?", Callie asked as the credits were running, accompanied with Natasha Bedingfield's 'Strip me'. Arizona's head was lying softly in her arm, her head resting on her shoulder like it always did. It became kind of a routine for their movie nights.

"Mhmm, not yet, it's too comfy right now", the blonde hummed and drew lazy patterns over the Latina's stomach. She knew what she wanted to do and it had needed a lot of willpower for her to still be in the position she was in. But since they'd first talked about going further to – maybe – second base, none of them had brought it up again. And that was two weeks ago! So, here she was, nervous as hell but also very sure of what she wanted to do. "Calliope?", she finally rasped out.

"Yeah?"

"I... do you... uhm... can we..."

"Arizona, what's wrong? You know you can tell me everything, right?"

The blonde nodded and bit her bottom lip, not knowing that the Latina was looking at her. Suddenly, Callie shifted beneath her and before Arizona knew what was happening, she was lying fully on the mattress, and Callie was propped up on her hands, staring down at her.

"This is what you want, right?"

Again, Arizona just nodded and her teeth bit even harder into the soft flesh of her lip.

"Okay." Taking a deep breath, the brunette lowered herself on top of her girlfriend until their bodies were touching almost head to toe. She felt her heart beating fast in her chest and her hands were shaking like there was no tomorrow. "I am nervous", she admitted.

"Me too", Arizona answered quickly.

"What do I do?"

"I don't know."

"What do you want me to do?"

Looking up into big brown eyes, she saw nothing but love, it didn't calm her nerves, though. "I... can... can you kiss me?"

"Gladly", she smiled and leaned further down to connect their lips in an innocent kiss. But soon, the kiss intensified and tongues met, caressing each other in a dance they were practicing for years now. When Arizona was taking charge, the brunette happily let her. But now she was the one in control, the one on top and her girlfriend had trouble holding back the little moans that were dying to come out. She felt fingers tangle in her tresses, a sign that Arizona was enjoying this, so she knew for sure she could dare to take the next step.  
Her left hand moved and raked down the smaller girl's upper body until she reached the hem of the sweater she was wearing. Clenching her hand into a fist a couple of times to get rid of the nerves, she finally fumbled with the fabric and as soon as her fingertips met naked flesh, she heard a sigh escaping the blonde's throat and it shot a jolt of all kinds of feelings through her body. The emotions even increased as she felt one of the hands that had been playing with her hair first moving down her body and then pushing up her own hoody. "Wait", she breathed out.

"Okay", Arizona smiled.

"You do want this, right?"

With a smile on her lips and her eyes locked to the ones above her, she leaned up and brushed her lips against her girlfriend's. "I do. Do you want this?", she asked.

"Yes", the Latina breathed again. How was it possible that she was so nervous and Arizona was so... relaxed about this? She wanted this too. There had been hours it had been everything she could think about. And now that they were finally going further, her nerves wouldn't back off.

"Good", Arizona answered and captured the brunette's lips in another searing kiss. She dropped her other hand to the hem of the Latina's pullover and pushed the fabric further up the body that was still partly lying on top of her. Her fingers ghosted over the soft skin of Callie's back and it elicited a series of quiet whimpers. "Do you like that?"

"Yes", Callie answered with her eyes closed.

"Me too."

"I want that too", Callie confessed and pulled the blonde up into a sitting position, while sitting back on her own heels. Greeted with a reassuring smile, she grabbed the fabric again, shoving it upwards until pale skin was visible and she could see the blonde's belly. "You're so beautiful."

"So are you", Arizona smiled. "Can I?", she asked and tugged even more at the hoody Callie was still wearing. It took a few seconds for Callie to nod, but when she did, she willingly lifted her arms above her head and let the blonde remove the hoody and her shirt in one move. "Gosh, Calliope", Arizona sighed. She knew Callie was beautiful. She'd seen her in a bikini and a couple of times when she was getting dressed before or after a match. But this moment held so much more significance. She let her fingers trace over the tanned skin of her girlfriend's abdomen and chuckled as she felt her muscles twitch beneath her touch.

"Can I... too?", Callie asked nervously.

Not trusting herself to actually say yes, Arizona just nodded and lifted her hands just as the Latina had done moments before. Once her top was gone as well, she leaned back onto the pillow and blanket and waited for Callie to move. When she didn't, she grabbed the brunette's hand and pulled her down, making their bodies connect this way for the first time.

"You feel good", Arizona smiled.

"You too", the young Latina replied. "So good. Can I... uhm..."

"Yeah", Arizona breathed out and waited for Callie's hand to touch her torso. She didn't even know anymore why they had waited so long for this – aside from their rule to wait until they were at least 16. But this? This should have happened a lot sooner, that's for sure.  
When the Latina's hand finally touched her stomach with soft caresses and it almost seemed like she was trying to savor every inch of her skin, she couldn't think straight anymore. She needed to kiss Callie. She needed to feel more of her. So she flung her arms around the other girl's neck, pulled her close and kissed her so fiercely, it took both their breaths away really fast and they separated to fill their lungs with some much needed oxygen only to reconnect their lips as soon as possible. She was so engulfed in her girlfriend's kiss, she didn't notice the hand that was slowly moving more and more towards her breast. At least, not until that hand softly cupped her breast through the bra and her body jerked into the touch on its own accord. Her breathing hitched. She was sure, her heart had missed a beat or two, or rather just stopped altogether because she hadn't expect a move like that.

"Did I go too far?", Callie asked, her voice filled with concern. Her brain had stopped working the minute her hand had made contact with the soft pale skin below her.

"No!", she shrieked. "I mean. No. It was... I wanna do that too."

"Okay", the brunette husked inhaled deeply as the hand of her girlfriend covered her breast through the fabric. "Oh God."

"Yeah..." She literally forced herself to breathe. "I love you."

"I love you too", Callie replied and leaned in for a long and loving kiss.

xxx

"Hey mom", Callie said when she came home after Thursday's practice and saw Susan exiting the kitchen, a tray with three cups of coffee in her hands. First taking off her own coat, she then helped Arizona out of hers. It was just a little something she had gotten used to over the years of their relationship. Neither of them could take the other one out for dinner or movies every weekend, so they chose little gestures like this to show their young love. "Who's there?"

"Hey baby girl. Barbara and Daniel", Susan answered, getting rolling brown eyes from the Latina in response for calling her that. Despite her intention of not calling her daughter 'baby girl' anymore, it just slipped sometimes. It didn't bother Callie until she turned sixteen though.

"My parents?", Arizona questioned. Sure, they were close friends, but usually, her father – the Colonel – wasn't found in the Menken's living room on an ordinary day. "Did something happen?"

"Yes and no. We want to talk to you."

"Oh no!", the brunette let out. "Please don't tell me we're going to Sweden again or somewhere else. Because, if we are, I am totally okay with asking my godparents if I can live with them again."

"And if this is another Spanish inquisition about sex, I'm outta here", the smaller girl interjected, already reaching for her coat. Although they had made a huge step last weekend, they agreed not to tell their parents. It was their relationship and they would move on their own pace. Both had been ready for it and it had been overwhelming and frightening at the same time. Callie had been so gentle and loving. Both had asked before they'd made another step and by the end of the night when they finally fell asleep in each other's arms, both had still been dressed in panties and shorts. And for Arizona, waking up and feeling Callie's skin on her had been so intoxicating, she was waiting for their next sleepover since she'd left her girlfriend's home Sunday morning.

"Girls", Susan chuckled and watched the two sharing a few glances. "We're not moving again and this is not about sex."

"Oh, okay. What's it about then?"

Smiling, the woman walked into the living room, knowing her daughter and her girlfriend would follow right behind. She put the tray down on the table and sat down across from Arizona's parents while the girls seemed to be frozen on the spot next to the armchair. Callie kept looking down at her feet and Arizona was fidgeting with her fingers, Susan was surprised they weren't in knots already.

"Don't be nervous, Dimples", Barbara smiled, suppressing the giggles that were bubbling up inside her. "We're not going to rip your heads off."

"Did we do something wrong?", the blonde asked timidly, not daring to look in her father's blue eyes.

"No", he answered with a warm smile.

"Then, why are we all here? And where's dad?", Callie wondered. If they were going to punish them, he should be here too.

"We don't need him", Susan answered nipping her coffee. "And you can sit down. Like Barbara already said, we're not going to kill you. Quite the opposite, actually."

Pulling two chairs closer, Callie flopped down on one and tucked on her girlfriend's hand to wake her from her daze and sit down as well. It worked, but she refused to let go of the young Latina's hand, keeping it in a tight grip instead. Callie, not so nervous anymore – rubbed her thumb in soothing circles over the back of Arizona's hand, feeling a bit of the tension leaving the smaller body. "So, what's all this?", she asked.

"Calliope, Arizona", Barbara started, but was cut off by her own daughter.

"Oh oh, my name."

"Sssshht", Callie placed her forefinger on the blonde's lips to shut her up.

Shaking his head at his daughter's comment, Daniel Robbins leaned forward to put the cup he had been holding in his hands back on the table and then took his wife's hand is his own. "What your mom was trying to tell you, Arizona, is that we agreed to give you more room but with that comes more responsibility. Calliope, you have your license for two months already and your dad and mom reassured us that you are a very careful driver."

"She is", Susan said with a nod.

"Arizona, you know that your father and I will be in Boston for the whole next week. And while Timothy couldn't be happier to stay with his grandparents, we know for a fact that you'd rather spend _every_ night over here if we'd let you – we agreed to give you this week."

Blue eyes snapped open, staring at the three adults in the room. "Seriously?"

"Yes. We think you deserved it. You're both great at school and according to everyone, perfect little ladies."

"Oh we totally do! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!", Arizona chanted, jumping up and down on the chair. "But wait, what has that got to do with Calliope having a driving-license?"

"Timothy has a football match that weekend and we want you to take him there in time and get him back. You know that your grandma can't do this anymore and we think she doesn't have to stand in the cold", Barbara explained. "So, we give you this week under the condition that you do what we ask you to. Can you do that for us?"

"Of course!", Callie answered, a big smile plastered on her face at the thought of spending a whole week with her beautiful blonde girlfriend and a shared bed every night.

"There's one more thing, though."

"Huh?", both girls said in unison and turned their heads to face Susan.

"Liam and I will be gone for the weekend, too."

"We have the house to ourselves?", Arizona asked. Sure, it happened a few times that they were alone for a few hours, but the respectively set of parents would always come home sooner or later.

"Yes. Now, we trust you to do nothing irresponsible. So, no inviting friends for a huge sleepover party. No staying up the whole night and no-"

"No sex, we know it, dad", the blonde said, rolling her eyes.

"That was not what I wanted to say, but it's good to know that we're on the same side with this one as well", Daniel answered and laughed. "Calliope, I'm sure you get my daughter to eat anything else than pizza on that weekend."

"You know it", Callie smiled.

"Yes, pasta", Arizona answered, earning a light swat to her thigh. "Hey!"

"I can do more than pasta!"

"Of course you can, but your pasta is the best", the small girl answered, showing her girlfriend a bright smile and her beaming blue eyes. "And you love me so you're going to make me some pasta."

"We'll see about that", the young Latina laughed and looked back to her mom and the Robbins'. "Thank you, for trusting us. For trusting me."

Receiving three smiles and three 'you earned it', Callie felt Arizona squeeze her hand, a sure sign that she wanted to go upstairs. "Can we leave now?", she asked.

"Yes."

They got up and while they walked out of the living room, they practically ran up the stairs, rushing through the door to the Latina's room and slamming the door with quite some noise before they crashed their lips together. Feeling the adrenaline and joy running through her veins, Arizona was the first to move her fingers under the hem of Callie's top to feel her soft skin. Callie soon mirrored her girlfriend's action, but neither of them took it any further. They were still taking their time and both were really content of just feeling the other one so close.

xxx

"You know when you have to pick up Timmy tomorrow?", Susan asked. Liam and she were about to leave for their weekend away. It wasn't planned this way. Actually, when they made the plans for their anniversary weekend, they'd talked to Barbara and Daniel and made sure Callie could stay the nights with them. But then Daniel was asked to welcome the new enlisted men in Boston before they'd head off to their respectively stations. And with Daniel being a marine most of his life, it was more than just an honor for him to be there. So, here they were, leaving their girls completely to themselves for the first time.

Looking up from under the hood of her coat, Callie answered, "Not later than 11am, but we'll be there around 10.30 just to be save."

"Good. And you promise to call us if anything happens", Liam said.

"Of course, dad. But nothing's going to happen", Callie announced.

"You drive carefully."

"You know me, mom", she answered. She loved both her parents, but ever since she got her driving license, they were overprotective. Well, more overprotective than they've been before. She understood it, partly. After all, she was the one who lost her family in a car accident. But it was because of that, that she was driving very carefully. There was no need for speed when you leave the house in time her father – her biological father – had always told her. And though she had only been six years old, some things he'd told her, she remembered as if it was yesterday.

"I do", Susan nodded. "Should we ask Mr. and Mrs. Jaster to look out for you? Just in case?"

"Mom, I am sixteen. Please. I don't need a babysitter anymore. Arizona and I will watch some movies tonight, pick Timmy up and drop him off again, then we're going to do our homework and before we know it, it's Sunday evening and you're back."

"You sure?"

"Yes", the young Latina breathed out. "We'll be fine."

"Okay. I call when we get there."

"It will be around midnight when we get there, honey", Liam reminded her and took her hand. They were going to be away for two days, not two years. "We call you tomorrow", he said, looking in his daughter's eyes.

"Thank you, dad", the girl smiled and closed the trunk for her mom. "I'll miss you, mom."

Placing a soft kiss to her daughter's tan cheek, Susan whispered "I'll miss you too, sweetie", and then she got in the car.

Saying bye with a hug, Liam took his place behind the steering wheel and within two minutes, the adults were on their way to Oregon.

"Finally." Callie let outher breath when she was inside and leaned against the closed front door. "It looks like the weather isn't going to get better. There will probably be some lightning and thunder."

"I don't like thunder", Arizona pouted. She had waited for her girlfriend to come inside. Because, now they were finally alone. And she could think of a few things she wanted to do again with her girlfriend and none of that was possible with Susan and Liam waking them up in the morning. So, for the last days, they'd spent the nights in shorts and shirts though both had admitted that what had happened two weeks ago should happen again – soon!

"I know. But I protect you", the brunette answered with a smile and kissed her girlfriend lightly on the still pouting lips, making sad lips instantly twist into a smile.

Sucking her bottom lip between her teeth, the smaller girl looked up into the brown eyes she got lost in so many times and said, "You always do that."

"Of course I do. I love you", Callie said with a smile while she took off her shoes.

"I love you too", Arizona said with a sigh and a big smile. "Movies?"

"You know it. Because we still have to watch 'August Rush'." And she was looking forward to this because she just loved music and this movie lived off the music. And the little boy? He was so cute and so talented.

"My, Calliope, I thought we were making a Disney night out of it"

"Just go ahead, I'll be right behind you, just gonna get us something to drink", the Latina chuckled at the witty comment of her girlfriend.

"I already did that", Arizona replied. "When you were helping your parents. Thought I could at least do that so we can get start as soon as they leave."

The Latina flashed the blonde one of her megawatt smiles, showing her perfect white teeth. "You're so smart! And the best girlfriend in the world."

"Sure", she grinned and walked up the stairs. Hearing the footsteps of the Latina right behind her, she held her hand behind her back for Callie to take it. Another little thing they often did. It was the yearning of being close every time it was possible. And holding hands was the most innocent way for them. They even did it at school and although they both had been afraid in the beginning, nothing had happened. Maybe because they've always been close, inseparable. Maybe because it didn't matter to others. But even if it would matter, they couldn't care less because they had their families and their support.  
When Callie took the offered hand in hers, the warmth of the brunette's hand spread through Arizona's body like a fire. It was always like this. Callie's skin was always warmer than the blonde's and most nights, when she felt cold, all she had to do was scoot closer to her girlfriend to get all warmed up again.

They walked into the young Latina's room and closed the door behind them and immediately, the blonde pushed her body into the other girl's. "You smell so good", she said as she breathed in her scent. "So... you."

"Mhmm", Callie gushed. "You smell like... you, too."

"I think... we should... get rid of... some clothes", she whispered between innocent, yet deep kisses and tugged at the hem of her shirt, eliciting a soft moan out of the brunette. "Unless you don't want to?"

"Oh, I want to", she smiled and took the fabric of her own shirt in her hands, pulling it over her head and let it fall to the ground.

Swallowing hard, almost gulping at the sight before her, blue eyes scanned down her girlfriend's body. Over her neck and collar bone down to her rising chest and bra-clad breasts. Her hands were pulled towards the tanned girl's skin like magnets and before she knew it, she was feeling the smooth skin beneath her fingertips, relishing in this feeling like she always did. "God", she breathed out as her fingers graced over the toned stomach up until they came in contact with the fabric of the bra. "Can we..."

"Only if you lose some clothes too", Callie said with a raspy voice. She didn't mean to sound like that, but every time Arizona was touching her skin, her voice – and brain – seemed to leave her body.

"That can be arranged", the blonde smiled and in a split second, her sweatshirt, shirt and bra were gone.

"Whoa, speedy. I wanted to do that!" Though, now that she thought about it, her hands were probably too shaky to do anything. All she could do now was look at her girlfriend's pale body.

"Too slow. Now, let me", she grinned and moved her hands to Callie's back to unclasp her bra as well. _S_econds after that, she felt two arms encircle her and pulling her in. Their bare upper bodies coming together and again, both girls felt like this was just how it was meant to be. Like two pieces of a puzzle, formed to fit together like nothing else in the world.

xxx

When she woke up the next morning, Callie immediately felt the additional weight that was lying on the upper part of her body. Soon she noticed the arm that was draped over her stomach and the leg that was entangled with hers. She couldn't hold back the smile. No matter how many times she woke up next to Arizona, both curled into a mess of limbs, it still gave her butterflies the size of airplanes and she really wished and prayed to every God and shooting star that was out there that this feeling would never go away. If she'd have a say in it, her feelings for the blonde girl would only grow every day into something that was measurable by neither machines nor humans.  
Carefully, she grazed her fingernails along the curves of her girlfriend's body. Fingertips danced oh so lightly over the soft pale skin beneath her hand as she watched Arizona inhaling deeply. God, she could watch her for hours if there wasn't the reminder in her head that they had promised to pick up Timmy around 10.30. And it was- "Shit!", she cursed. "Arizona. Wake up!" She could have sworn she'd set the alarm.

"No", the blonde mumbled.

"Yes."

"Sleep…"

"No, we have to get up. We have to be at you grandparents' in about 45 minutes!" Slipping out under the petite form and pushing the blanket to the foot end of the bed, she placed a quick kiss on Arizona's cheek and got out of the bed.

"Mhmm, more", Arizona sighed.

"Later, baby. Now, you have to get up, shower and dress and then we have to leave." Pulling at the other blanked that was keeping her girlfriend's body all warm and save, she laughed at the blonde's halfheartedly attempt of getting a hold of the fabric.

"Rude!"

"Come on, Arizona. It's the only thing your parents asked for, we can't mess this up."

"Nkay, nkay", she groaned. "You're right. So, shower and getting dressed? I can do that."

"Well, get going!", Callie demanded, pulling her into a standing position, completely forgetting that neither of them was wearing much clothing – aside from their shorts – and what it did to their hormonal teenage bodies. She swallowed down the lump that was forming in her throat, knowing full well that Arizona had caught her struggling when she saw the smirk that was displaying on the blonde's face, accompanied by her dimples and piercing blue eyes. Within a second, lips were on lips, meeting in a hungry kiss and hands made contact with the other one's skin. Tanned fingers moved up and down Arizona's sides, leaving goose bumps on their way while a pale hand was just about to cup Callie's breast. "Okay. Whoa", she breathed out and stepped back. "We have to stop this or we're going to be late."

"Spoilsport", the blonde complained, yearning to feel the reaction of her girlfriend's skin in her palm. "I know you want it too."

"I do", the young Latina admitted. "But we have things to do and places to be, so move, chop-chop."

"Fine", Arizona grumbled, grabbed a pair of jeans, a shirt and her swimming team sweatshirt to finally get ready. She didn't bother to cover herself with the clothes in her hand since there was no one in this house except for her and Callie.

Letting out a breath she didn't even know she was holding, Callie flopped down on her bed and brushed her hair out of her face. Reaching for the shirt she'd laid down on her blanket just a few minutes ago to pull it over her head, she thought about what just had happened. She'd never say it out loud, but she had a hard time holding back when her girlfriend was so close and almost naked. Arizona's body was perfection. The pale skin, the small waist, the flat stomach and the muscles beneath, and though she thought it was weird, she had a thing for the blonde's hipbones. Well, she always liked bones, but Arizona's bones were…fascinating, no matter on which part of her body they were. Her knees, fingers, or her wrists. But her hipbones were just incredible and every time the brunette was holding Arizona close, one of her hands surely found that part of her body. She had it bad, but that was no news to her.

"Hey, you sleeping or day dreaming?"

Startled by the sudden sound of Arizona's voice, Callie jerked up. "Huh?"

"I thought we had to get ready."

"We do."

"Then, why are you back to bed?"

"I'm not. I was just…thinking", Callie answered and looked at the blonde for the first time since she entered the room. "You done in the bathroom?"

"Yeah."

"What about your hair?"

"What's wrong with my hair?"

"It's still wet", Callie stated.

"So?"

"It's cold outside."

"So?", the blonde asked again.

"Do I have to remind you what happened last time you were outside with your hair all wet and it was raining and freaking cold?"

"That was one time!", Arizona protested indignantly. "And that was years ago!"

"Still, it happened. And I'd prefer you'd dry your hair before we leave."

"But that will only steel time we could use for something much better like kisses and…and…and", she tried. Noticing the look on Callie's face though, she knew that her girlfriend meant business and so she gave in. "Fine", she huffed and mumbled under her breath when Callie was about to leave the room, "I thought my mom was gone for the weekend."

"I heard that!", rang the Latina's voice in her ears before she heard the bathroom door close_._


	23. I just mhmm Part 3

"Come on, Tim!", Arizona hollered from the spot where she and Callie were cheering for the youngest Robbins family member. But, at the age of ten, Timmy didn't like it anymore when they called him Timmy in public, hence why Arizona just called him Tim.

"You know that he can't hear you when he's storming towards the goal on the other side of the field, right?", Callie mocked, nudging the blonde's side with her hip.

"But other people do, Calliope", the girl answered with a grin before another cheer left her mouth, making the Latina shake her head and laugh. But it seemed Timmy was having a really good day on the field. No matter where a 'man' was needed, he seemed to be there out of nowhere. Whether it was back on his own half to help the left defender, or up front, leading yet another attack towards the opponent's goal. She looked at her girlfriend. The blonde curls tied back into a ponytail, blue eyes focused on the game, mostly on her brother. Both Robbins children were just so eager and sometimes too competitive for their own good. Maybe that came in handy with being raised by a marine, but then again, Callie was almost the same when she was on the court. Or when it came to school. Or... in general?

"Hey, is anybody in there?"

Coming back to reality by the snapping of fingers in front of her eyes, Callie shook her head to clear her mind. "Huh? What?"

"I asked you if you're up for ice cream after the match. You know, mom and dad always take Timmy to get some when he's playing as good as he was today."

"Yeah, sure."

"Are you okay?"

"Of course I am", she answered with a smile and reached for the blonde's hand. "Never been better." She cupped a slightly - from the cold wind that was blowing – red cheek, gently urging Arizona to face her. Leaning in, she was just about to kiss the girl when she heard a deep voice next to them shout something, interrupting their little intimate moment.

"Rude", the blonde giggled and squeezed her girlfriend's hand as she turned around again to watch the game.

Putting her arm around the small of Arizona's back, so that her hand was placed on the blonde's hip, Callie hummed to the song that was playing in her head while Arizona was back to cheering for her brother again.

"Hey!", Arizona screamed all of a sudden, making Callie's eyes shoot open and searching for Timmy. "Hey! That boy just kicked him instead of the ball!"

"Arizona, calm down. It happens sometimes."

"No. That was on purpose and that is not allowed! And the referee just didn't do anything about it!"

"It's not like Timmy's playing the world's championship, Arizona. And nothing happened. He fell, okay, but he's back on his feet and seems fine", the Latina tried to reason with her girlfriend.

Mumbling something Callie couldn't understand, Arizona tried to steady her breath and see it with the brunette's eyes. Timmy seemed fine, indeed. But she was protective when it came to her family, or to the people she loved, for that matter.

"What was that?"

"You're right", she grumbled again but yelled just a second later when the same kid made her brother stumble again. "That boy is not playing fair!"

"He's just trying to stop him."

"Yeah, but this is almost the same as when Cara pulled me back by my swimsuit. Or when Dr. Doom stole the Silver Surfer's silver board. It's called unfair! Or-" She stopped when she heard the Latina laugh out loud. "What?"

"Seriously? Silver Surfer? Dr. Doom? I always think you don't pay attention when we're watching one of my movies."

"I do too. Because you like them and I love you. But the point is, that you just don't do things like that." She growled again as Timmy once again had to get back on his feet. "Seriously? There's no one going to do something about that?" Even Tim's coach was yelling now and that was really rare.

"Let them play. He's a Robbins, he can take it", Callie tried with a smile.

"I know he can. But he shouldn't."

Seeing that there was no arguing with the blonde right now, Callie stepped behind her, put her arms around the petite waist of her girlfriend and nuzzled her nose against the neck, inhaling Arizona's scent and placing a loving kiss right above her pulse point. She felt the girl relax in her arms and smiled at her success. Sometimes, it was so easy to distract her. On the other hand, she was easily distracted too when Arizona was kissing her or her neck... or her stomach like she'd done last night.

The pitched sound of the whistle brought them both back out of their pretty bubble though and blue and brown eyes scanned the field to find the source. One of the boys was lying on the ground, holding his foot. It took Arizona all of five seconds to recognize that it was her brother and before Callie could react, her girlfriend had pulled herself free and was over the fence and running towards all those kids and the referee.

"What happened?"

"Josh slid in between Tim's legs while he was running, his foot collided with Tim's ankle", one of the boys explained. Arizona thought his name was Brian, she wasn't sure though. But she knew for sure that it had been a very nasty and forbidden tackle.

"Tim, can you stand up?", she asked, kneeling next to her brother. He wasn't crying. He never cried.

"I'm okay, Arizona", he tried.

"We have to get him of the field."

"We have to take of his shoe", Callie said as she finally joined them.

"No!", Timmy protested. "I don't want that. Just give me a few minutes and I can play again.

Seeing that he was still holding his ankle very tight, his coach, Mr. Williams disagreed, "No. I am sorry Tim, but that's it for you for today. Come on." Holding out his hand for the boy to grab it, he looked over to Arizona. "We'll see what his ankle looks like and if it's necessary, we take him to the hospital after the match."

"I'd rather take him now. Calliope can drive."

"You sure?", Coach Williams asked when he was helping Tim to limp over to the bench.

"One hundred percent", Arizona nodded.

"It hurts, Arizona", Tim whined, but his sister knew this already by the look on his face.

"I know, Timmy." She rustled through his short blonde hair and smiled down at her little brother. Despite him trying to act cool and pretending that he could take it, she knew he couldn't. "Calliope?"

"On my way, baby."

"You don't even know what I want", Arizona said baffled.

"Getting the car as close as possible so we can take him to the hospital", the Latina smiled.

Answering with a smile, Arizona focused back on her brother and watched his face when coach Williams was slowly taking of his shoe, wincing a little bit when Timmy let out a scream and finally, a lonely tear was rolling down his muddy cheek. Timmy looked like he had just taken a bath in the mud. It had rained for most of the night and even a little bit during the match so the ground was very slippery and dirty. The other boys looked half as bad as he did, though.

"Okay, I am no doctor but I'd say this needs an x-ray and maybe a cast", Coach Williams announced.

Looking down at her brother's ankle, blue eyes widened in shock at the dark bruise that was already forming around the swollen skin. "Broken?", she asked.

"Can't say for sure, but it's possible."

Narrowing her eyes, she thought about that Josh kid. Was he really getting away without getting punished?

"Don't worry, Tim. I'll make sure Josh gets what he deserves. He's known to be a little more aggressive, but what he just did was against the rules. But you did good, boy."

Tim just nodded. His foot hurt a lot, but he was more frustrated that he couldn't play anymore.

"Hey, I'm ready when you are", Callie said when she came back. "I called your parents, but I told them not to worry and that we'll call them again when we know what's wrong with his foot."

"Thank you", the blonde smiled.

"Do you need help getting him to the car?", the coach asked. The game was still on a hold, the referee was talking to Josh's coach and a few parents were talking in the background.

"Yeah, that would be good", Callie answered for the Robbins siblings. "You go with him, I'll go and get his things."

"You're amazing", Arizona sighed. She didn't know what she would do without Callie right now. Because her girlfriend was keeping a clear mind while she was so consumed worrying about her brother and being there for him. "We'll be waiting in the car."

"Sure you will. You can't drive", the Latina winked and headed for the locker room.

XXX

"Arizona, please sit down. They are going to do an x-ray, not a surgery", Callie pleaded as she watched her girlfriend jump up from her seat for the umpteenth time. A few minutes ago, an intern – or resident or whatsoever – took Timmy to get the required scans and they were now waiting for him to come back to the ER.

"Why wasn't I allowed to go with him? He is ten years old, he's in pain and I am his big sister. I should be there with him. He's probably scared."

"Dr. Bessin is really nice, I can tell you. And he didn't seem to be scared at all, he's probably hoping he'll get a cool cast."

"Yeah, that sounds like him", Arizona sighed. "You know, it was the same when you were in surgery. Mom and dad had to tell me to sit down a couple of times, but I was so worried. I had no clue what it would be like, how long it would take and when you were going to wake up. Plus, I had just told my parents that we're girlfriends, so I was extra scared... facing the Colonel was never in my top three."

"But it all turned out well in the end", she smiled. "And all that reminds me of it is this tiny scar, which is ugly, but I can't change it."

"It's not ugly", the blonde disagreed and finally stopped pacing back and forth.

"It is."

"No. It's a part of you and you're beautiful, so it can't be ugly." Flopping down on the ER bed across from Callie with a shy smile on her lips, she brushed a few golden tresses out of her face. "How long does it take to get an x-ray done?"

"I don't know. Maybe there are more patients waiting to get one."

"He's a kid! He should not wait that long."

"But he's no actual emergency. He's not going to die."

"Yeah, you told that my mom as well, still she already called three times, making sure her little baby boy was fine", the blonde chuckled. She could practically see her father shaking his head at her mom as soon as she picked up the phone.

"You would be just the same", the Latina grinned, knowing full well how overprotective and worried sick her girlfriend could be. "But I am sure, Timmy is fine, well as fine as he can be. He's probably more annoyed that he won't be able to play soccer for a while than anything else."

"Oh God, he's going to be a pain in the ass", Arizona laughed. "I still think that this Josh guy was exaggerating trying to stop Timmy. And he was only playing this rough with him."

"Because your brother is the strongest player of his team. There was no need to be that rude with the other boys."

"But it was okay to be like that with Tim?", Arizona asked, looking at the brunette in disbelief. "You can't be serious, Calliope."

"That is not what I was saying and you know it. It's just... I get it. When I'm on the court, I try to make out the other teams weakest member because that's their Achilles' heel. In the water, you always look out for your fastest opponent and just try to be faster than she is. And on the field, you try to stop the best player as best as you can", Callie explained.

"But not like that!"

"No, not like that. But I am sure he got punished for it. Still, we should see it as kind of a compliment that he had to go all out on Timmy to stop him", she grinned. "Because that boy just didn't see any other way and they were already three goals behind."

"I still don't like it", the blonde mumbled.

Placing her hands on either of her girlfriend's thighs and rubbing slow circles with her thumbs, Callie smiled. "You don't have to. And I'm on your side with that one. It was way too much." She stood up and leaned forward. As their noses touched, she closed her eyes, closing the last gap between her and her girlfriend until their lips finally met.

It wasn't hurried or deep by any means. It was just the soft connection of two sets of lips, but it was enough to calm Arizona a little. "Thank you", she breathed.

"For what?"

"For being there. For being calm. For being you."

"You're welcome", Callie answered and pecked the blonde's lips again before she sat back down in her chair just in time, because a few seconds later a young doctor came back, pushing a wheelchair with Timmy in it.

"Is it bad?", Arizona asked.

"Dr. Bessin or the Orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Kirschner, will be here in a bit."

"He needs surgery?"

"No. But he's the one in charge today."

"Can't you tell us something, please?"

"I am sorry. Dr. Bessin will be here soon, she'll tell you everything", the intern or resident excused herself.

"Hey little boy, how you doing?", Callie asked.

"That was SO cool! I want to do that again!", he exclaimed. "They showed me the picture of my foot and I got a chocolate bar afterward because I didn't cry when they placed my foot the way they needed it though it hurt a lot."

"You're so brave, aren't you?", the Latina laughed.

"Timothy Robbins?", a man came into the exam room.

"Yes", the little boy said.

"Hi, I am Dr. Kirschner", he introduced himself.

"This is my sister Arizona and that's her girlfriend", Tim answered proudly, because he loved both girls a lot.

Smiling at the three kids, he turned around and put two x-rays under the terminal strip of the light box.

"Is that his foot?", the brunette asked, already fascinated by everything she could see.

"Yes. That here is his ankle and that here", he started, following the structure of the bone with a pen, "that crack is the fracture."

Getting up to get a better look, Callie walked over to the board, her eyes scanning the whole picture. "That little thing?", she asked and pointed out the spot the doctor had shown them before.

"Yes. It's a simple fracture so there's no surgery needed. I'll have one of my residents put a cast on his foot and then you're almost good to go. Here's a prescription for some pain meds, but I reckon he only takes one, if he can't stand the pain. The good thing with fractures is, they are less painful than a sprain or a rupture of a ligament, doesn't mean he won't have any pain though", he said and handed Callie the note.

"When can I play soccer again?", Timmy asked.

"Timothy, that's not important right now", Arizona said with an apologizing look towards Dr. Kirschner.

"It is!"

"No."

"It will take a few weeks. Depends on how fast your bones heal, but the usual time is four to six weeks."

"That long?", the boy asked, his eyes wide.

"Yes, I am sorry. It takes some-" He got interrupted by his pager going off. "I am sorry, I have to go. I'll send Dr. Walker in and she'll make you a pretty cast in every color you want." He turned to face Arizona. "He should take it easy for at least twenty-four hours to give the cast the time to harden completely. So, no walking during that time. The cast can't get wet and I would like to see him again in three weeks to see how everything is."

"Sure, thanks, Dr. Kirschner", the blonde replied.

"Bye Timothy."

"Bye Dr. Kirschner", the boy grinned. When the man had left the room, he said, "I think I want a blue cast, what do you think, Arizona?"

"Everything you want, big boy", she smiled, tousling her brother's blond hair. "Calliope?"

"Huh?", the Latina asked and turned around. Her eyes had still been glued to the x-rays.

"Can you call my mom and tell her that everything is indeed okay?"

"Sure", she smiled and left the room when she noticed that Arizona seemed relaxed again.

XXX

"Do you think it was a good idea to drop Timothy off at my grandparents'?", the blonde asked as they entered Callie's home. "It feels like I am... I don't know... a bad sister."

"No. Don't think like that. Besides the fact that Timmy wanted to spend the last night with your grandparents, it would have been too much for me or you to carry him upstairs and he shouldn't need to spend the night on the couch." And that was just one point out of a few. Because Timmy needed a bath and because the cast was not supposed to get wet, he needed some help and he was too old to let his sister help him, so he needed his grandpa. And then, he had some struggles with the crutches, so there was no way he could have made it upstairs – or downstairs – on his own.

"Mhmm... maybe I should have stayed with him. What if he's in pain? What if he needs anything? What if-?"

"Arizona", Callie stopped the rambling of her girlfriend. "If you want to, I can drive you over. But I am sure, your grandparents are more than capable of having an eye on him. He has a broken ankle, he's not dying."

Inhaling deeply, blue eyes found brown and she nodded. "You're right."

"Wow, two times in one day", the Latina teased. "But seriously, you should not worry about your brother."

"I know, I know. What time is it?"

Looking at that clock on the wall, she answered, "Quarter to seven."

"That late already? We still have to do Spanish homework. Ugh, how a day spent at the hospital can ruin every schedule", she groaned.

"Spanish isn't so hard", Callie answered with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Hello? No native speaker here", the blonde reminded her. "I need an hour and you'll be finished in ten minutes."

Not able to resist the pout on her girlfriend's mouth, she pulled her in and placed a lingering kiss onto the pink lips, smiling when she felt Arizona's pout forming into a smile as well. "I help you", she offered when then parted.

"Really?", the smaller girl beamed, wriggling her eyebrows at the same time.

"I said I help you, not that I let you copy it."

"But that would be a lot faster... to get to the good stuff", Arizona rasped and pulled the Latina closer again, the fingers of her right hand finding their way under the fabric of the brunette's sweatshirt while her left hand fondled with the nape of the Latina's neck. "To the really _really_ good stuff, Calliope." She knew it were her crazy hormones speaking for her, but she just couldn't help it. She could not get enough of her girlfriend, of the feelings a simple touch of a tanned hand could elicit inside of her. And just the thought of being able to touch Callie let her heart beat a mile per minute.

For a moment, she let the feeling of the blonde's hands flood her body and thought about giving in. But she knew better, so she took a moment to compose herself before she looked Arizona straight in the eyes. "But it would not do your grades any good. I know you don't like Spanish that much and that you'd rather do the double amount of homework in math or biology if that would mean no more Spanish for you, but it's just as it is. So, we're going to do our homework together and I help you and then we can do the _really_ good stuff", Callie stated.

"I hate it when you're so rational", she huffed.

"No you don't", Callie grinned. "Besides, since we already ate at your grandparents', we saved some time."

"Oh God, grandma's dessert will kill me someday", Arizona laughed out loud.

Joining her girlfriend's laughter, the Latina said, "You just need to learn to stop when you're full. Unless you want to gain some weight."

"But it's just soooo good. And it's not like I live like a couch potato every day. Plus, you couldn't stop either today." Running her hand over Callie's toned stomach, she smiled as she felt goose bumps appear under her fingertips. She really couldn't get enough of that.

"It was banoffee pie! Name me one member of your family or mine that can say 'no' to banoffee pie!"

"I can't", Arizona laughed. It was true, at least when it came to her grandma's best dessert ever. "She started to make two pies for every family event a few years ago."

"She did. Which is a good thing because one would just never be enough."

"Never. I think, if there were three, we'd finish them as well, even if it meant some of us might explode", she laughed.

And God, did Callie love to hear Arizona laugh. She loved everything about her girlfriend, some things or habits just a little more than others and her laughter was one of those things. Because every time the blonde laughed, it warmed her heart, even more so, when she was the reason. Invading the girls personal space yet another time, she tucked blonde locks behind her ear with one hand and lifted her chin with the other. Eyes met, fluttered closed and lips touched, making the world stop spinning for them. She could hear the beating of her heart in her ears when Arizona's tongue peaked out and traced her bottom lip, a silent request for permission that the brunette happily granted.

Slender fingers tangled themselves with silk dark hair as their kiss grew more and more intimate. Tongues danced with each other in a slow rhythm and the blonde pushed the other teenager against the nearest wall, pressing her body impossibly closer into the other one's. The small moan that escaped Callie's lips was just loud enough for Arizona to hear and it did all kinds of things to her. Letting go of the brunette's hair, her fingers moved down the Latina's body, finding tanned armed and finally hands, interlacing their fingers on either side of Callie's body, pushing them against the wall as well.

Ragged breathing filled the hallway the taller girl pulled her lips away to get some much needed air into her lungs. She looked at her girlfriend and noticed the different shade of blue in her eyes and the lower lip that was trapped between a perfect set of teeth. "We should... start", she breathed out. "Spanish." She knew, if she wouldn't stop them, they would take the next step soon and she didn't want that to happen without both of them being ready. And despite all the emotions that were running through her body, she didn't feel ready.

"Yeah", Arizona exhaled. "But only if you promise me that, once we're done, we'll spend the rest of the evening kissing and cuddling."

Swallowing, she didn't trust her voice enough to speak so she only nodded her head.

"Perfect", the blonde smiled and made her way upstairs, leaving Callie against the wall, dumbfounded and her mind taking fifty different directions at the same time.

XXX

She was furious. And livid. Although her day had started amazingly good, it had turned the wrong way. So, now she was mad. Mad at the older girls from the swimming competition. Mad at her coach for suggesting she should try and swim against older girls who were not only taller than her, but also stronger and therefore, faster. And yes, she lost and now she was angry at herself for not being better. But on top of all that, she was angry at her girlfriend, because despite her promise to be there like she always was, she wasn't. And without her 'lucky charm', she'd had a bad feeling before she'd dived in head-first. Her turn went wrong, she'd run out of air faster than she was used to and it seemed like the water was not her friend. So, yeah, she was fuming because Callie didn't show up to kiss her good luck, nor was she sitting somewhere in the crowd, silently cheering for her.  
Opening the front door of her home, she let her bag fall to the ground and slammed the door. She didn't care if her father would yell at her for doing it. It didn't matter if her mom would scold her. She had to let it out.

"You know full well that we don't slam doors in this house, young lady", sounded her father's voice as he walked into the hallway.

"Hmpf", she huffed, not willing to give him an actual answer.

"What happened?"

"Too much!", she snapped.

"Arizona Robbins", he raised his voice. "Watch your tone."

"So what? I'm not allowed to get angry?", she asked, still in her snotty behaviour.

Sensing that his daughter was indeed mad at something and not just acting up, he softened his voice and looked at the blonde girl, practically hearing his wife's words, that he'd gone so soft since he was a father. "Why don't you tell me what happened?"

"I don't want to. Right now I just want to be pissed at my coach and my girlfriend."

"Your competition didn't go well?"

"Understatement", she huffed and kicked the bag that was placed at her feet. "I ended up penultimate. I could have been last and it wouldn't be worse."

"You know your coach didn't sign you up for the competition today to win. She wanted you to get to know what it will be like in a year or two if you continue with swimming, to see how much of hard work you'll have to do."

"They were all at least two years older than me and much taller. It was unfair."

"That's why she said you're not supposed to win this. It was more like practise."

"Well, it still sucks", Arizona answered and lowered her head in defeat. She didn't like that feeling, not one bit. She was used to win.

"You won't always get what you want, Dimples. Sometimes, you'll lose. But it's not a shame to lose as long as you gave it your best. Was it you best today?"

The blonde just shook her head.

"Why", Daniel asked although he already knew the answer.

"Cause Calliope wasn't there."

"And because she wasn't there, you didn't give it your best?"

"No. I was already pissed because I texted her and she said she'd be there but she wasn't. And she still didn't text me because she knows she's in trouble! And what are you laughing about?", the teenager asked her father when she noticed the smile that was tagging at his lips. "This is not funny."

Straightening up and controlling his features he agreed and gave her the advice to just go upstairs and calm down before dinner was ready. Because, they all knew, there was one thing Barbara Robbins did not like and furthermore, did not tolerate and that was grumpy faces at the dining table.

"Fine", she huffed and headed for the stairs, thinking about what possibly could have prevented Callie from keeping her promise. That was just not who her girlfriend was. She'd never witnessed her breaking her promise to anyone or for anything. Even when she was told that she'd move 1000 of miles away, she'd been there for Arizona's competition. So, added to being angry, she now was worried as well. "Damn you, Calliope", she said into the air and slightly kicked the door to the bathroom open before stepping in and locking it.

Turning on the shower – because she almost never showered in the cubicles of the swimming stadium – she took off her clothes and stepped under the warm spray of water, letting it wash away her disappointment but not her rage. When she brushed away wet blond strands that were pasted up her face, she thought about this morning. It had started so good. She'd woken up to soft kisses that where placed all over the skin of her - mostly upper – back and the soft humming of her girlfriend's voice. They were so confident with being on second base now that every night they'd spend together, was spend with partly naked cuddling, kissing and touching. Their questions if it was okay had subsided over the last three weeks because they knew they trusted each other. But then she didn't show up and as soon as that thought crossed the blonde's mind, she was mad again.

After washing and rinsing out her hair and body she left the shower, wrapping herself in a soft and plush bathrobe, drying her hair more or less with the little towel in her hands. Glancing at the cell on the counter, she noticed that there was still no new text message and that worried her even more. Callie would text or call her or even be here by now. But, nothing.  
Letting out a breath, she excited the bathroom and walked over to her own room. Deep down she hoped the Latina would be sitting on the bed, waiting for her. She wasn't. But although Arizona didn't notice it the very moment she looked over to the bed, there was indeed a little something waiting for her.

She pulled a hoody over her head and a pair of sweats followed after panties and socks. Taking the towel of her head, she rubbed her hair some more so it was not too wet anymore and let it hang loosely down her back. She flopped down on her bed, her hands fell to either side of her body. Her left hand met the expected blanket, her right though came in contact with something different – paper. A simple peace of paper, folded once. She tuck it out from under her leg and opened it. Pull on you dark blue hoody, C., it read. She looked down her body, reminding herself that she was already wearing that particular sweater. Moving her hand to her belly, she hesitated as she felt another peace of paper through the fabric. Wear comfortable and warm sweats, C., was the message on this one. "Great, and now what?", she asked in frustration into her quiet room as if her surrounding could answer her. She was just about to give up as her phone buzzed on her nightstand, making her smile despite the anger she was still feeling. Come to the tree house, C. Within a split second, she was out of her room, down the stairs, slipped on a pair of shoes and was through the back door that was leading into their big yard. The blonde saw the dim light that was shining through the small window and the entrance of the tree house. Knowing Callie was waiting for her, she skipped every second rung of the ladder, finally slowing down when the Latina's legs – also clad in sweats – came into view.

She made it up the rest of the ladder, her eyes focused on her girlfriend who stood with her back to the open entrance of the tree house. And because of that, she didn't see what Callie had done and she was way too furious now that one cause of her anger was in front of her, to take a second look. "What were you thinking?"

Turning around to face the blonde, she saw all kinds of bad emotions on her beautiful face. "Arizona, I am so-"

"Cut it!" she spat in a loud voice. "I don't want to hear you say you're sorry. You promised to be there! I texted you and you even reassured me you'd be there. You knew this day was important to me. I am never afraid to take a challenge, but today I was scared and I needed you and you were not there. Where have you been? Doodling away the time like you sometimes do?" She knew she was being unfair. But this right here, this was her wrath talking.

"Arizona, please, let me exp-"

Again, the blonde cut her off. "Explain? What? Why you weren't there supporting me? Why you broke your promise? Or why you didn't even take the time to answer my messages because you knew I would be mad? And yes, Callie, that is exactly what I am, mad."

She flinched. She actually flinched at her girlfriend using the short version of her name. She hated it. Arizona always called her Calliope no matter if she was sad or angry. "I understand that you are-"

"You don't understand anything, Callie. I waited for you. I needed you today and you were missing in action or something like that." By now, her voice was almost back to normal. "And I was scared and worried." Blue eyes moved up to look into the intense brown orbs of the Latina, showing her exactly how hurt she was.

"Can I please say something now without getting cut off?", the Latina tried, getting a nod in response from the blonde. "I am sorry, Arizona. I really am. I really had every intention to be there. But when I woke up this morning with you next to me and when I kissed you, I had this idea. I wanted to do something for you because I love you. Because you mean so _so _much to me that I can't even put it down in words. So I thought I could show you and I planned all this when you left." She indicated with her hands to everything that was set on the floor of the tree house. "I got carried away and totally lost track of time. When everything was done, I was way too late. That late, that I already saw you coming down the road", she admitted.

"You did all this?", Arizona asked, her face softening at the sight before her eyes. There were at least six blankets, two sleeping bags already combined to one. Pillows were sprawled out on the floor, chopped fruit and a thermos jug. And, knowing her girlfriend, there was some amazingly hot chocolate in there waiting for them. Her old fairy lights – one shaped like little butterflies and the other one with stars – veiled the tree in soft light and in the background was music playing softly, only loud enough to reach their ears.

"I did. I had a little help, but I did most of it myself." She dared to make a step towards the blonde and held out her hand for her to take it.

"I am still mad", Arizona pouted.

"It's okay. You have every right to be mad." She meant every word she said, but she couldn't contain the smile when her girlfriend took her hand, interlacing their fingers as they were used to.

"You didn't even text me."

"I couldn't tell you what I was doing... it would have ruined my surprise."

"Pissing me off didn't exactly help you...", she mumbled.

"I am really sorry, Arizona. I don't know what else to say."

"Then don't say anything", the blonde answered. "Just hold me."

Pulling the smaller girl flush against her body, she put her arms around her waist in a tight embrace, letting Arizona lean her head against her shoulder.

"I lost, today."

"You were not supposed to-"

"Win, I know", she finished her girlfriend's sentence. "But I was only half a second faster than the last one."

Tightening her arms around the petite body, she felt the shaking of the blonde's body against her own, knowing that Arizona had started to let it all out, using her sweatshirt to dry the tears of anger and disappointment. "Ssshhh, it's okay", she soothed.

"No! It is not. If you had been there, I would have been better."

"You-"

"I am not saying I could have won today, because they were like fishes in the sea or something, but I could have been better."

Usually, she would not let Arizona cut her off so often and get away with it so easily. But she knew she was already in the dog house, so she let it go for now. "I promise to be there next Saturday. I promise to be at every coming competition, bare anything I can't control, like having a fever or something even more serious."

"You made a promise to be there today..." Deep down, the blonde had already forgiven her girlfriend. Who wouldn't with all she'd done to surprise her. And she knew the Latina long enough to know that she was telling the truth when she said she got carried away. It happened before and it would happen again. And it was a part of Callie, she loved fiercely with everything that she was. Yes, today, it went wrong for both of them, but that was not how it normally was.

"I know. I broke my promise. I am sorry. I didn't mean to."

"Mhmm", she hummed, still not letting Callie off the hook.

"You want some hot chocolate?"

"Yes, please", Arizona said and stepped out of the embrace. Getting down on her knees to sit back on her heels, she let her eyes wander again. It was perfect. Callie was perfect, with every flaw she had and the blonde knew about. "Thank you."

"You're welcome" the brunette replied, watching as her girlfriend put her cold fingers around the mug that was filled with hot liquid, steam spilling over the edge into the dark night. She cupped both of the girl's cheeks and wiped away the last reminders of her tears with her thumbs. "I am truly sorry, Arizona.

"I know."

"You can be mad a little longer, if you want", she suggested with a hopeful smile.

"No. I don't like being mad at you. It's hard because I love you so much."

Sighing at those words, she stepped in and leaned down to kiss the pink lips in front of her.

"But I do have one question", Arizona started and turned her face so that Callie's lips landed on her cheek.

"Okay?"

"How did you convince the Colonel?"

"I have my ways", Callie smiled and watched the narrowing blue eyes of her girlfriend, silently demanding to tell her how she made that happen. "I asked your mom and she was okay with us spending the night up here. It's not exactly under the stars as in 'The Lion King", she teased, "but it's something, isn't it?"

"It's perfect", Arizona smiled, finally giving in and kissing the brunette.

"If we get rid of our shoes, we can cuddle in the sleeping bag. I have extra blankets and fruits and chocolate. Your father said no to chocolate fondue, because of the fire..."

"Sshh", the blonde hushed her girlfriend by placing one slender finger against full lips. "Sounds awesome." Using her toes to slip out of her shoes, she waited for Callie to do the same before they both crawled into the warm and comforting – now double sized – sleeping bag and the brunette put a blanket over both their shoulders to keep them even warmer.

"Can I ask for something?"

"Sure", Arizona answered, smiling as she bit into the strawberry. Sure, they would be better if it was summertime, but she loved strawberries and the fact that Callie had bought some for her made them even more special.

"Never call me Callie again. Please. That...it just sounds so wrong."

"Deal", she nodded and leaned in to kiss her girlfriend properly. She felt Callie's tongue against her lips and granted her access, combining the taste of hot chocolate and strawberries and letting out a small moan. Delicious.


	24. I just mhmm Part 4

**AN: We definitely got to the M-content chapters!**

* * *

"Calliope, would you be so-", her words were cut off by the sound of a plate hitting the tiles of the floor, bursting into little pieces. "Careful", Susan said and bent down to pick up some of the broken porcelain.

"Damn it", the girl cursed. "I'm sorry, Susan. I actually wanted to put the clean dishes back where they belong instead of ruining them."

"It happens to all of us and it's no big deal, really. I'm more concerned about my daughter than about a broken plate." She looked into the Latina's brown eyes. They were always telling the truth, showing if something was wrong or 'fine'. Because 'fine' always had two different meanings and Callie knew 'fine' would shut up most people not her parent or Arizona, though. "What's wrong? You're pretty jumpy for a few days already."

"It's nothing, I'm fine."

And there was the word. Fine. Fine almost never meant that someone was fine. "Calliope…"

Putting the plates she currently had in her hands down on the counter, she turned around to see the woman whisking the little splinters together with a dustpan. "Mom?", she asked quietly.

Getting back up and throwing the last pieces into the garbage can, she said, "Yes?"

"Uhm..."

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to", she assured her daughter, comforting the girl with her hands placed on her forearms.

"Arizona's turning sixteen this Wednesday."

"I know. Barbara keeps complaining that she doesn't want to have a party, but I know Daniel is happy he doesn't have to put up with a bunch of girls having a sleepover at their house."

"Ugh, yeah", the girl replied, scratching her neck to cover up her nerves.

"I guess this is not about a missing birthday present, is it?"

"Nnnoooo", Callie dragged out, slowly shaking her head as she spoke.

"You know you can tell me everything if you want to, right?", Susan asked a warm smile on her lips.

"Yes, mom. It's just… that this is different. We.. you know we said we'd wait until we're both sixteen and – "

"And now you think she is going to..."

"Yes!", she interrupted Susan before it would get more embarrassing. Their parents were still oblivious to their 'bedroom antics'. "What if she is and I am still not ready? I love her but I don't feel ready. What if I'll never be ready?", she feared.

"Calliope", Susan breathed out. "When the time comes and when it feels right, you will be ready and Arizona will wait for you. As long as you talk and be honest with each other neither of you has to feel pressured into something you don't want. Have you talked to her about it?"

"No. I… I felt stupid. It should be the other way around. If anyone should be scared it should be her because I'm the older one."

"That's not how this works, Calliope. Arizona is and has always been the more outgoing type of character. She's the loud and daring one in your relationship, so it's just natural for her to, maybe, not be so scared. You on the other hand, you think things through, make a list of pro's and con's in that pretty head of yours and you always think about the consequences. That's why you're scared and worried about things and she isn't. She makes decisions with her gut, you use your head. It's good you're different, though. You even each other out, like black and white. She makes you strong and believe in yourself and you keep her on the ground when she wants to start flying again", Susan chuckled, remembering as if it had happened yesterday, that a little blonde girl was standing on her windowsill with a sheet misused as a cape, very convinced that she could – literally – fly like Supergirl. But that was not what she had meant. If it wasn't for Callie, Arizona would have gotten herself into a lot of trouble over the years. "What I am trying to tell you is, that I kind of expect you to be more scared about... this. It's new and you're both inexperienced. But you should just tell Arizona and I am sure she will understand."

Forcing a smile, she thanked and hugged her mom. It was good to have someone to talk to and maybe she was right and Arizona would understand.

"Don't look like that, Calliope. She's your girlfriend, not a monster", Susan laughed. In fact, she couldn't even wish for a better partner for her daughter. They just clicked right from the start, although they had always been very different. But maybe that was the reason why they were so perfect for each other. "Do you have any questions? I am sure I can... uhm... help"

"No!" Callie burst out. "I mean no. I'll... I think I can... I can handle it... now. I guess. I'll be fine", she rambled, not wanting her mom telling her about sex. That was just... no, she didn't want that.

"Good."

"What did you want from me?", the teenage girl asked.

"When?"

"When you came into the kitchen, you wanted to ask me something", she reminded her mom.

"Oh that. I just wanted to ask if you'd be so nice to empty the dishwasher, but you were already doing that", she answered with a smile.

"I'm not finished though. I'll do the rest", the Latina replied and wanted to stand up.

"Calliope, it's okay. I can do the cutlery myself. I am sure you have more important things to think about", she said with a wink and got up herself. "You still going over on Tuesday, or are you too scared?"

Stopping just at the door to the hallway, she faced her mom again. "No, I promised her we'll spend the night and I'll stick to my words." Because she knew how much Arizona was looking forward to it since her birthday was during summer break and she wouldn't have to wait for the weekend to celebrate with Callie.

"Good. So I don't need to tell Barbara and Daniel that they can cancel their dinner night."

Gulping, Callie's eyes widened in shock as she whispered to herself, "They... they're having a dinner night?"

xxx

"Come on in", Arizona said, dragging her girlfriend into the Robbins house and pinning her against the door, closing it in the way. "I've missed you."

"You were gone for three days", Callie smiled. "But I've missed you too."

"Too long. Missed you. Bunches", she got out before she crashed her mouth against the brunette's, already moaning as two sets of lips parted and tongues met in a slow dance. Her hands roamed over the Latina's body, making their way under her shirt and... were abruptly stopped by tanned hands over the fabric. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing", the Latina answered, trying to catch her breath.

Pursing her lips and narrowing her eyes, not sure if she should believe the brunette's words, she leaned in and tried to kiss Callie again, but her lips only brushed the taller girl's cheek as she turned her head to the side. "What is it?"

"I..."

"Calliope, please", the blonde urged. "My parents will be gone for the next few hours, Timmy's at his best friend's house for the umpteenth overnight this summer and I will be sixteen tomorrow. We can skip the last few hours. It's not a big deal. We waited long enough." The fingers of her right hand were playing with the soft flesh between the hem of the dark green shirt Callie was wearing and the waistline of her shorts. She'd always been impatient and not seeing her Latina for the last days because she was visiting her grandparents, had been torturing enough. Now, she just wanted to fast forward time to midnight and spend the rest of the night kissing each other senseless, body pressed against body and most of all, skin on skin from head to toe.

"Wait", Callie breathed out as she felt slender fingers move under the fabric of her shorts. "Arizona."

"What is it? Do you not want it? Because I don't think I can wait for another few hours."

"It's not that... it's... I... we... you..." the brunette stammered, not finding the right words the moment she needed them.

"Kissing will help us get over the nerves", Arizona smiled and closed the gap between them yet another time, craving the taste of those full lips in front of her.

"I said wait", Callie persisted and pushed her girlfriend a few inches away.

"Have I done something wrong?", the blue eyed girl asked, insecurities flooding her body like a monsoon.

"No."

"But you don't want it, do you? What happened? I thought you liked where we were heading. I thought you wanted it too. Is it because of me?" Making a step backwards because she thought Callie wanted some space between them, her eyes were glued to her own feet.

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't know. You're always the one stopping us when we were moving too far. Maybe it is because you never wanted it."

"Arizona", she whispered and reached for the blonde's hands, taking both in hers. "It's not because I don't want to and it's certainly not because of you. Please believe me?" she asked, searching for the pools of baby blue she loved so much. "It's... I don't know if I am ready. I know you are, but I just don't know if I am. I... what if I don't know what to do? What if I do it wrong? What if you don't like what I do? I just don't know if I am really ready for it."

"Do you know what happens when you touch me here?", the blonde simply asked and moved her hand so it was on top of Callie's. Moving both their hands up her body, making them cup her breast through the fabrics of bra and shirt, she closed her eyes.

Callie felt the reaction of her girlfriend's body and bit her bottom lip.

"This is... you. You do this. And it feels right. I am not worried that I won't like it. I know I will. But I get that you are worried, because I'm afraid too."

"You are?"

"Yes", she replied. "But I know that I want it just as much as I am afraid of doing something wrong or hurting you."

"But you are ready..."

"I am. Because I don't want to wait any longer." Giving her girlfriend a reassuring smile she cupped tanned cheeks and studied her beautiful face for a few seconds. "But I would never pressure you. We'll go as slow as we both need to. If you think you're not ready, we'll wait."

"You sure you can handle it?", Callie teased, relieved that she'd found the courage to talk about it with Arizona.

"No... but I'll try as best as I can because I love you and I don't want you to do anything just because you think you need to. Plus, we've waited so long, it doesn't matter if we wait another week... or month." Though she cringed at the thought of having to hold back her wants for another month, she'd do it for Callie.

"And here I thought I'm the older one of us", the Latina smiled, pulling Arizona in for a slow and innocent kiss. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. So, pizza and movies? I even made the pizza myself", she stated proudly that she – despite her dad's words – did not burn down the house and the pizza still looked like pizza and not like some unrecognizable black... something.

"Sounds perfect", Callie answered and let herself be dragged into the kitchen. Her nerves were still present, but her own hormones were screaming as well. And though it might be weird, but hearing Arizona say that she was afraid too, did something to her. "Who knows what happens when we cuddle", she mumbled more to herself than to anyone else, because suddenly, the thought of going further, didn't seem _so_ scary anymore.

xxx

"Calliope?"

"Hmm?", Callie asked, turning her eyes away from the screen and looking down into big blue eyes looking up at her.

"I... never mind", Arizona said quickly, deciding to not say the words before she'd say something wrong. "I'll always wanna be with you", she husked instead and nuzzled her nose deep into Callie's neck, inhaling the scent that was a 100 percent her girlfriend. Not able to stop herself, her tongue snaked out between her lips and made light contact with the bronze skin right above the Latina's collarbone. Both were only dressed in tank-tops and panties because it was one of those warm mid-August summer nights. They were rare since it rained a lot in Seattle, but when it was a hot day, it was way too warm for too much clothing at night.

Starting at the spot her tongue had just left a wet trail on, she kissed her way up the neck of her girlfriend and felt the moan Callie couldn't hold back against her lips. Happy with the reaction she got, she pushed herself up on her hands only to lean further into the brunette's body, not caring about the movie playing in the background any longer. They saw it twice already anyways.

"Ari-", her attempt to say something was cut off by the blonde's lips, shutting her up with a long kiss before Arizona moved up to her ear.

"Sshh, just relax. I won't do anything you don't want me to do", she whispered and slightly tugged at the Latina's earlobe with her teeth, careful not to hurt her. Eliciting another moan, louder this time, she smiled and also cursed herself. Hearing Callie moan always worked her up. It was one of the best things she'd ever heard and no matter how often she'd heard it in the past few month, it still had the same effect on her body. She felt fingers brushing through her hair as she lavished the spot behind the other girl's ear with her tongue and lips because she knew how much Callie loved it. They'd spend hours and hours of getting to know eachother's body, at least, the upper part. She knew where a soft kiss was enough to make Callie sigh in contentment or where her tongue would make her girlfriend writhe beneath her.

Shifting on top of the brunette, so her right thigh was now trapped between the taller girl's legs, she opened her eyes and looked down at Callie. Her chest was rising faster and her cheeks colored with a light blush. "God, I love you", she smiled and leaned down again. Before she could connect their lips though, she was flipped over, pinned to the bed by strong hands and the brunette hovering over her. "What you doing?"

"Changing my mind", Callie stated and crashed their lips together in a hungry kiss. Her hands quickly found the hem of Arizona's top and pushed it up until perky white breasts came into view. Parting only to rid the blonde off the fabric, she soon planted soft kisses down the girl's jaw line and let the shirt fall down onto the floor. Caressing every inch of skin she could reach without moving too much just yet,

she pushed her nerves into the farthest corner of her head. She wanted this too. She too had had trouble waiting and controlling herself when she'd found the blonde's body lying next to her in the morning. This was it. This was their moment.

Looking at the girl lying beneath her and finding piercing intense blue eyes looking back at her, she smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too", Arizona answered and closed her eyes as she felt soft lips on her upper body, moving down to her breast and finally a tongue circling the peak of her breast. Moaning at the feeling she knew oh so well by now, her body moved on its own accord, arching off the mattress and pushing more into Calliope's to feel even more.

"Slow, okay?", Callie asked, making the girl's body underneath her stop moving at all. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah", she panted and smiled. "Just trying to go slow."

"Okay. Tell me if I do anything wrong."

"You won't", Arizona reassured her. And even if Callie would, she'd probably wouldn't notice. She was on a high. Her body was going crazy, her emotions right along with it. Just knowing what they were about to do had thrown her into a turmoil. And as she felt lips moving further down her stomach, she didn't know which way was up and which way was down. "Calliope", she moaned. Not that it was her intention, but she had no control left or whatsoever.

"Mhmm", the Latina hummed against pale skin just under the blonde's belly button, inches away from the waistline of dark turquoise panties. Kissing her girlfriend's skin there was nothing new. They'd gone this far before. But as soon as she reached the fabric, her nerves were back, tenfold and she froze.

"You okay?", Arizona asked, propped up on her elbow when she noticed Callie didn't move anymore. "Hey", she cupped the Latina's cheek, bringing her back to reality as blue eyes locked on brown. "We don't have to. I told you I'll wait until you're ready."

Shaking her head to clear her mind, she whispered, "No. I want to. I want you."

And though it was barely understandable for Arizona, she just knew what Callie had said and smiled. "Come here. I want you up here with me."

Moving up and lying down, connecting their bodies and creating a beautiful contrast between pale and tanned skin, lips were on lips in an affirmative kiss. Slender fingers were tangled in dark tresses as Callie's hands moved back down her girlfriend's body, finding the fabric of her panties and just resting there for a moment.

Tearing her lips away from Arizona's, she looked down at her as she slightly tugged at the waistline. Getting only a nod in response, Callie shifted to pull the fabric down long white legs until the blonde just kicked them off her feet. She swallowed at the sight that met her eyes. Beautiful didn't even begin to describe it. Stunning came close, but it wasn't enough as well.

"I think you should get naked too", Arizona said as she got up on her knees, desperate to feel the brunette's skin against hers again as she pushed the black material over a firm butt. Letting it fall off the bed as well, she took a deep breath and gulped. "You're gorgeous."

"So are you", Callie breathed before she reconnected their lips once again. Tongues dueled. Lips were bruised, red and swollen because they had to put up with rushed kisses caused by their overflowing emotions, crazy hormones and fears.

Falling back down onto the mattress and pulling her girlfriend with her, Arizona groaned as a tanned thigh came in contact with her center.

"Sorry", Callie apologized instantly.

"Don't. It was... good", the blonde panted. "Really good."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah", she nodded.

"Good." Slowing down the kisses, she moved a hand between their bodies and down a toned stomach. She felt the abs twitch beneath her fingertips as she moved further down. Hesitating for a brief second, she opened her eyes to look at Arizona, whose bottom lip was instantly trapped between her teeth out of pure anticipation. It was hot. In fact, it was the hottest thing she'd ever seen. And knowing she did that to her gave her one of the best feelings.

Keeping her eyes locked to the blonde's face, she moved her hand the last inches to where she knew Arizona wanted it to be. As her forefinger made contact with a good amount of wetness, she gasped.

"God, Calliope", Arizona moaned.

"Did I do wrong?"

"No! Just... ugh!", she groaned as Callie's finger brushed over her bundle of nerves. "Do that again. Please."

"That?"

"Yessss...", she hissed. "That... feels... amazing."

She smiled. "Good." And then she repeated what she had done seconds before. Just a couple of times and she felt her girlfriend tremble and writhing underneath her. Pink lips were slightly parted and Arizona's breath was faster than before.

"Ca-Cal- Calliope?", she asked, eyes shut tight and she heard her heart pounding in her ears.

"Yes, love?"

"I think I- I- I-" Suddenly, her whole body went stiff and her breath got caught in her throat as she let out a deep groan. Her back arched of the bed, fingers clenched the sheets on either side of her body and her toes curled. She didn't know for sure what had just happened. She couldn't even comprehend all of it. She just knew that it was amazingly awesome.

"You okay?", the Latina asked after a minute or two.

"Better than okay", she answered with a smile. "That was-"

"Did I hurt you?"

"Hurt me? Jesus, Calliope. I haven't felt anything as good as this my whole life!"

"Really?"

"Really!", she exclaimed and flung her arms around the brunette's neck to pull her in for a heated kiss. It didn't help to slow down the rapid beating of her heart at all, but she didn't want the feeling to end anyways. So she kissed her girlfriend and before Callie knew what happened, she was on her back again, Arizona hovering above her with a mischievous grin on her face and sparkle in her eyes that told her what was about to happen now.

xxx

Rays of sunlight streamed through the gap between the curtains, softly waking up Arizona. The muscles of her face twitched and her eyes shut even tighter as a small stripe of light tickled her eyelids.

Stretching out her legs and arms while arching her back to wake every part of her body, she slowly opened her eyes and blinked a couple of times.

Turning her head to the left, she saw her girlfriend peacefully curled up next to her, sleeping softly and breathing evenly. Usually, it was the other way around. Because she was smaller, she was normally the one curled up against her girlfriend's body, legs entwined and a head full of blonde curls resting on a tanned shoulder. But frankly, she liked it. Because it meant that Callie trusted her, especially in her sleep. It wasn't always like this. At first, she never spent a night at Arizona's or the blonde at hers when it came to the time of the year that reminded her of the day when she lost her family. Then, when she got over that, she had nightmares. And they would be back again once that day was close. But it got better and better and now, now she trusted Arizona. So, in the blue eyes of Arizona Robbins, Calliope Torres being curled up on her left side, tanned fingers being tangled with paler ones, was perfection.

Today, something was different though and up until she let go of the brunette's hand and her fingers grazed over the softest skin she'd ever touched with her fingertips, she didn't know what it was. But when the light caress of fingernails was not stopped by the borderline of panties, memories came back to her and her eyes sparkled as a wide grin spread over her face. They'd done it. Last night. The last step, now they were one.

Getting all giddy and happy as her still slightly sleepy brain brought back the images of last night, her feet started to kick under the blanket, not caring that there was a girl sleeping next to her.

"Uuuuuuuuuuuugh", came a groan from her left side immediately.

"Oh shoot, I am sorry", the blonde lied. She wasn't. Because now Callie was awake – or getting there. And it was still early, so her parents would probably still be asleep. Were they even home? She didn't hear the front door or their car last night.

"What's wrong?", Callie mumbled, her eyes still closed.

"Nothing", the blonde chirped.

"Then why are you kicking the bed? Did it try to eat you too?"

"Eat me?", Arizona asked, not being able to hold back the giggles that erupted her lips.

Stifling a yawn, Callie answered, "Yeah... the bed tried to eat me last night."

"I am sure that was a dream," the blonde smiled. "But... do you know what was definitely not a dream?"

"Huh? No."

Turning on her left side and then pushing Callie on her back, maneuvering herself on top of the Latina so that she was positioned between the girls legs, Arizona smiled down at her as brown eyes slowly fluttered open. "Hi."

"Hey", she smiled back. And teased, "That's nothing new though."

"No, that isn't. But this is", the smaller girl grinned mischievously and rolled her hips into the body beneath her.

"Ah!", was all that left Callie's mouth before her breath hitched and finally got caught in her throat completely when her girlfriend moved her hips against her center again. She felt the tingling in every fiber of her being all over. It was even stronger than last night, because it wasn't shadowed by all those nervous thoughts anymore. Some of them were still there, but most of her worries were gone just like the night itself.

Pressing her body into the Latina's once again, Arizona's smile faded as she too couldn't hold back the quite moan that spilled over a set of pink lips.

"Oh God", the brunette moaned. "Where did you learn that?"

"Nowhere. I just-", and before she could say another word, it happened again. She had no control over her body except for her arms that were still holding her up. She hadn't known it would feel this good. Sure, feeling Callie's skin against her own was something that felt beyond good, no matter if they were just holding hands or if their bodies were pressed against each other's. But this was…beyond amazing. Nothing in this world had ever felt so good for her. Aside from feeling the brunette's body going rigid last night, that is. But, though this right here right now felt awesome, she needed more.

Shifting again, she lifted one leg over Callie's right thigh and slowly lowered her body, straddling the tanned leg under her. When that particular part of her body collided with a toned thigh, her eyes slammed shut and a barely audible "Oooooh", toppled over her lips. Her girlfriend felt too good to be true. And they were just at the beginning of experiencing each other and what they liked. One look at the Latina beneath her though, as she opened her eyes, was enough for her to know that Callie felt just as good as she did. Callie's mouth was slightly parted, a full bottom lip trapped between a set of perfectly white teeth and her chest was rising and falling at a faster pace than normal. "God, you're…hot", she breathed out and lowered her head to connect their lips as she put all her weight on her left side, unconsciously grinding her lower body even more onto the firm leg below.

Moans were swallowed in the other girl's mouth as they both started a slow rhythm of moving hips and a tanned hand gripped a pale shoulder, the other one holding on to the blonde's hip. "Arizona", the Latina moaned as she tore her lips apart. "Your pa-"

"I don't care", she answered quickly, silencing the brunette with a hungry kiss.

"But", Callie tried to protest again, but yet again, her girlfriend was faster.

"Sshh, I don't care. I want you."

She felt her blood shooting through her body into her cheeks, making her blush at Arizona's words. She wanted her too. But with the blonde's parents down the hall…

"They won't know, I promise."

Slender fingers of a perfect hand cupped her breast and Callie was done for. It had always made her struggle to keep the wheels in her brain turning, but now that Arizona was naked on top of her, pressing into her over and over again, it was too much. The slightest touch let her cave in and all she could do was enjoy the blonde's moving body as much as possible.

"Okay?"

Nodding, she opened her eyes only to find a pair of piercing blue orbs staring down at her, blonde curls surrounding her angelic face like a curtain. "But I-"

"I know", she replied to the unspoken words. She knew Callie needed more. Somehow, she just knew it. So her hand moved further down over her left costal arch, a flat stomach and under her belly button. "I love you. So much."

"I-" Again, her words got cut off by her girlfriend's touch when it almost reached the place she needed her the most. She didn't know how the blonde could hold such a power over her body that she was already ready to combust before she'd even touched her. "Arizona... please", she pleaded, closing her eyes and biting her lip again. If she wouldn't stop her hips from bucking up into the hand, it would all be over way too soon.

"Can you... open your eyes again?", Arizona asked timidly.

Forcing her brown orbs open again to comply with her soul mate's plea, she saw intense pools of blue that seemed to look straight into her heart. But before she could say something, she felt two digits where she wanted to feel them, a silent gasp falling from her lips that slowly turned into a not so silent moan. Adding the still rolling movement of the blonde against her leg, she felt like she was in heaven. It was amazing. Awesome. Beyond anything she could describe with all the words she knew.

But soon, she felt the same rush going through her body she'd felt last night. And though she didn't want it to be over yet, it was too late. She sensed her body was already past the point of no return. All she now wanted was to give the blonde what she was feeling, so she put her heel onto the mattress and gave the body on top of hers something more. And with the next push down, she was rewarded with a slightly louder groan that escaped her beautiful blonde.

"Oh my- oh God... Cal-"

"Ariz-"

One last circling motion between her legs combined with one last push downwards of the blonde, and the room was filled with two moaning voices before it went completely silent, a petite body collapsing against hers in a heap of exhausted limbs.

"That was", the blonde started after she got her breathing under control. Her heart was still beating so fast against her chest that Callie might felt it as well.

"Better than last night?", the Latina replied, still panting.

"Yeah..."

"It's supposed to get better", she stated matter-of-factly and grinned.

"I can't wait", Arizona answered and brushed a few strands of blonde tresses out of her face before she kissed her girlfriend. "But now I am hungry."

Winking at her girlfriend, she couldn't contain the big grin. "Mhmm, morning workout can have that effect." Closing the gap between them once again, she pressed her lips against the blonde's for a long and loving kiss. "Happy birthday, again."

"Ooh, birthday. There's cake waiting in the kitchen!", Arizona exclaimed and tried to get up but slumped right back down onto the spent body on the mattress. "Okay... I guess it can still wait five more minutes."

"Make that ten and I'll come down with you."

"Deal!"

xxx

Dressed in shorts and tanks, the two girls made their way downstairs, expecting really no one to be up and awake at 7.30AM. Every year the blonde's father took the day off to spend it with his family. And every year when Arizona had been younger he'd sent her back to bed when she tried to wake him up before 9AM. Despite him being a marine for the better part of his life, he loved to sleep in. Not that he was really sleeping in, because he still woke up at the crack of dawn. But he liked to turn around and at least try to get some more sleep.

Passing the entrance to the living room from where one could already see the picture Callie had given her godparents for Christmas last year, they headed for the kitchen and were greeted with a loud "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!", as soon as they stepped in. To her surprise, not only were her parents up, but her little brother was sitting at the table too, mouth already watering at the sight of the birthday cake.

"Uhm... morning?", the blonde asked.

"Good morning girls", Daniel said with a smile and then hugged his daughter, whispering, "Happy birthday, Dimples" in her ear.

"Thanks, daddy", she answered with a blush. "What are you guys doing up already?"

"Celebrating our daughter's birthday", her mom replied, pulling her in for a hug as well, though much longer and somehow more bone-crushing than her father's. She noticed the glow that seems to be surrounding her daughter and Calliope. Of course she knew what they had probably been doing with the house all to themselves last night. But it was okay for her and for her husband. The girls belonged together and it was for everybody to see. And she knew she couldn't keep her little girl little forever. She was growing up and so was her son, but she was thankful that he had still some years to go before he would be a real teenager too.

"I am here because we have cake", Timmy stated, making everybody laugh. "What? It's the only reason I am here although it's not even eight", he grinned, got up from his place and hugged his sister. "Happy birthday, Arizona."

"Thanks, Timmy."

"Now, I think the birthday girl wants to have her presents?", Daniel mused as he came back into the kitchen.

Not that Arizona had noticed it when he stole himself away, but now that he was back, she saw the neatly wrapped up presents in his hands. One was only an envelope though and she seriously wondered what that could be. She thought about her wishes because each Robbins child was allowed to make three wishes for their birthday presents. It didn't mean they'd get them, but it was always worth a try. She remembered that two or three years ago, she wished for another trip to Disneyland, but that didn't happen. It was okay. Though she really wanted to go again because she had purely good memories about their weekend in Disneyland, she understood that her parents did not want to go there again. Not with her overly excited little brother and two teenagers. "What's in there?", she asked.

"Well it's yours, so maybe you should open it instead of asking us", her mom smiled, pouring her husband and herself a cup of coffee and put a jug with cocoa on the breakfast table for the girls and Timmy.

Ripping off the wrapping paper that was not splattered with butterflies for a change, she revealed five more Disney-DVDs and turned around to literally shove them into Callie's arms. With a smug grin on her face, she was telling her girlfriend without actually saying a word that those were definitely on the agenda for their next movie nights. She turned around before she could see the smile on the Latina's lips though, not knowing that she was even the one who'd told the Colonel which movies his daughter 'desperately needed to have'.

Unwrapping the second present, her eyes went wide and she had one of the biggest smiles ever on her face as she pulled at the fabric, knowing for a fact that it was the new cobalt blue swimsuit she had put on her wish list. Because this one was special. It was smooth. The latest and best fabric for swimmers to be even faster than before. It was the same material the dresses of the swimmers at the Olympics had been of. And she knew, her parents must have paid a lot for it. Yes, she'd put it on the list but she didn't think her parents would get it for her. "No way", she squealed. "No freaking way!"

"Should we bring it back?", her father teased.

"NO! That's mine now and I'll be so fast now, all the other girls will drink the water I leave behind", she grinned and rambled on some more about how fast she'll be now and that she could possibly be the female Michael Phelps if she'd practice hard enough.

"Don't you want to see what's in the envelope?", Callie asked. Of course she knew what was in there. Barbara and Daniel had talked to her parents about the last present because it was something they wanted the girls to share together. And of course, they had asked the Latina too, though for her there was no way she'd have said no. One, she'd been stupid and two, there wasn't much she would deny her girlfriend, although she had the sneaking suspicion that she might regret it in the end.

"Oh, right", she mumbled and ripped it open. "Huh?"

"How about you unfold it?", the brunette suggested.

"Oh, right," the smaller girl said anew and opened the sheet of paper. "I'm sorry but I still don't get it."

"Hey, I painted that car!", Timmy protested.

"That's a car?", the blonde asked and raised an eyebrow. Her brother wasn't that good of an artist. It could easily be just a red box with holes and two smaller black ones at the front. "Oh! It is a car!"

"Yes. It is a car. And once you have your license it's your car. Well, yours and Calliope's."

"You're kidding me, right?" She looked at her father. If they were joking, his look would be the one that would give it away. "You're not kidding me", she noticed, turned around and jumped into her girlfriend's arms. "We're going to have a car!"

"Yes", she smiled.

"A car. A car for us. For you and me! We can drive to school and to the cinema every weekend and... and to the fair and... of course we'll be responsible", she added at the cough of her father. "But, do you know how many things we can do now?"

"Yep", the Latina grinned and before she could say any more lips were pressed against hers in a soft and slow kiss. Arizona had stopped caring about her parents being in the same room when she wanted to kiss the brunette a long time ago. And there was no need to, because their relationship was just as normal as any other.

"Can we finally have some cake? I am starving", Timmy whined, making the girls part and his parents chuckle.

"Yes, big boy, you can start." Not a second later Timmy shoveled some of Arizona's birthday cake into his mouth and smiled happily at his older sister who finally sat down at the breakfast table as well. Next to her, of course, the Latina. Their fingers openly interlaced on the table as they simultaneously took a sip of their morning cocoa.


	25. I just mhmm Part 5

**AN: So, there won't be an update for the next few days (maybe three to for) because tomorrow is my birthday and I have a couple of things to do this week. There, this part is extra long and the second day in a row. **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Her summer break had been perfect. No, scratch that! It had been perfectly awesome. At least the days and weeks she'd spent with the person that complemented her heart – her soul mate. Or girlfriend. Whatever you want to call it. Girlfriend was fine, but soul mate was more how it felt and how it was. So, every day she'd spent with her beautiful, gorgeous Latina girlfriend had been perfection from the minute they met till the time they parted – if they parted, that is. And not to mention her birthday. There was no way to describe her feelings when she thought about the night before and her birthday morning. A once in a lifetime feeling, only that it just wasn't once in a lifetime because it already happened twice. And it was bound to happen again.

Sadly though, they were 'roughly' pulled apart the day after she'd turned sixteen, because one of her parents' birthday presents – the new amazing swim suit – came with another present: a one week swim camp. At first, she loved her parents for letting her go because she secretly wanted to, but then she noticed the dates and luck was just not on her side. She came back the day after her girlfriend had left for one week, going to a training camp herself. That was just mean. Why were all those camps pushed to the end of summer break anyways? That didn't make any sense to her and she hated the fact that she hadn't seen Calliope for almost two weeks now and she wouldn't see her until school would start on Monday.

So today, Saturday evening, she was lying on her bed on her stomach, a book in her hand and her feet swinging back and forth in the air, her cell phone next to her because she was waiting for a message from a certain girl with big brown eyes with lashes so long, Arizona sometimes envied her. But Callie was just too beautiful. And she was hers, at least the blonde liked to call her that, and she knew Callie called her that as well, with no complaints from her. Never. She even thought the only reason she survived the last two weeks was because of at least one call a day and thousands of text messages. Thank God for whatsapp and flat rates. But now she yearned to see the stunning face of her girlfriend again. She longed to touch her, to kiss her, to just be with her. Right now she'd even take a glimpse at anything rather than waiting another two nights. Plus, Callie didn't text her all day. She wasn't worried because the eager brunette was probably practicing her forearms red and slamming holes into the ground this very minute, but she just missed her.

"Hey, Dimples, you ready to go back to school on Monday?", her father asked. She hadn't noticed his sudden appearance on the threshold.

Smiling, she let the book fall onto her pillow and sat back up on her heels. "Yeah. I am." She was so ready, which was still kind of weird for a girl her age, but going back to school meant also that Callie was back, so for her looking forward to school had its perks.

"That's good. Any word from Calliope yet?" He sat down beside his daughter on her bed like he sometimes did to just have a chat with the blonde. And he knew the dimpled teenager had been cranky while Callie was gone and it just got worse since this afternoon, apparently because of the missing messages.

Shifting, so she was now sitting next to her dad, she let her feet touch the cold wood of the floor. "No. She's probably super busy, using the last two days to wear herself out as much as possible", she answered and giggled because what she just said sounded so much like something Callie would do – yet she was no different.

"That sounds pretty much like your girlfriend. Doesn't mean you don't miss her."

"You have no idea." Lowering her head, her eyes fell onto her feet and she grinned again. She'd painted her toenails pink yesterday and that was surely the one color, Callie hated the most. And her nails weren't just any shade of pink, no, they were bright pink and the brunette always said that it gave her eyes a hard time. But she loved to see her feet like that, especially when she wiggled her toes just like she was doing right now. "I can't wait to see her again", she admitted.

"Well, it's a good thing I am here already."

At the sound of her girlfriend's voice, her head shot up as well as her body. The big smile on her face faded though as she took in the sight before her. Yes, there stood the tall Latina, as gorgeous as ever, but also as bruised as never before. Her left arm was in a sling, her bottom lip was bruised and that wasn't even what she noticed at first. Within a millisecond, Arizona rushed over to the brunette and softly cupped the cheek, careful to keep her hand under the black eye. "Oh my God, what happened?"

"Ugh, I had a little accident."

"A little accident? Calliope, you look like you just had a fight with Mike Tyson!", the blonde exclaimed in shock.

Hissing at the pain that shot through her whole face when her lips switched into a smile, she didn't answer her girlfriend straight away.

"I am sorry", Arizona said and retreated her fingers because she thought she caused the pain and Callie was wincing because of her touch.

"It wasn't you", she simply replied. If anything, the blonde's touch had somehow made it better.

"I guess I'll leave you two alone to talk. Dimples, take it easy on her, okay", Daniel Robbins winked and left his daughters room.

"Will you please tell me now what happened? And why didn't you text me?"

"Because you'd only driven you parents crazy with your worries and there was nothing you could have done."

"I could have come and get you. Remember, I do have a license now too", she answered with a smile. That happened while Callie was gone and she was at home and she was sure she'd squealed into her girlfriend's ear through the phone the day she got the license. They were still without a car of their own, but that was on the agenda for the next weekend, so it was very much okay.

"I didn't even know when I was done. I spent almost the whole afternoon at the hospital, getting scans and everything. And while I really love my bones and the pictures of them, a dislocated shoulder hurts like shit." Plus, they had to give her some muscle relaxants before because they didn't make it to the ER fast enough and so her shoulder joint had already began to become stiff and swollen, but she wouldn't tell Arizona that. Yep, luck had not been on her side.

"It's dislocated?" Softly moving her right hand over the brunette's upper arm – because the rest was covered in a dark blue sling – she hesitated before she touched the shoulder itself.

"You can touch it", Callie smiled lightly. "They popped it back in and it doesn't hurt that much anymore."

She cringed at the thought of having her shoulder popped back into place. She cringed at any thought of a broken bone for that matter. Luckily for her, swimming was not as risky as most of the other sports. Sure, if she'd have a cramp, she could drown and die, but there were always life guards in case that happens. And up until now, it didn't happen. On Callie's part though, she witnessed a lot of sprains, sore wrists, torn ligaments or whatsoever. "I am still waiting for an answer here", the blonde reminded her girlfriend.

"Oh, right. Sorry. It was nothing special, actually. I was just showing one of the younger girls that it's easier to aim for the ball before a smash when you lift both arms."

"That's what you do all the time", Arizona answered. Sometimes she could even tell the next move of her girlfriend. Years of studying the brunette when she played made her a pro. She'd never play herself though, at least not like Callie did. For fun, yes. But for her, volleyball lacked too much of water. "Okay, go on."

Closing her eyes as her blue eyed girlfriend now cupped both her cheeks, still cautiously to not hurt her anymore, she said, "The other girls were playing a bit of back and forth. One would throw the ball and the other one would slam it as hard as she could, always trying to send it in different directions. That's when that happened." She slightly tilted her head, indicating she meant her eye and bruised lip. "The ball hit me square in the face. Happy it didn't break my nose. That was one good slam, I can tell."

"You sure she didn't do it on purpose?"

"Yes."

"Okay", Arizona said. She desperately wanted to lean in and kiss the girl in front of her. But the last thing she wanted was to cause Callie any pain, so she stopped herself. "And how did that happen?"

"Oh. Uhm... that was me being stupid and clumsy, I guess. After I cooled my eye and lip I wanted to go back and I did just that although the coach told me not to, or at least to wait and see if I would feel a little lightheaded or sick. But I wouldn't listen... you know me."

Yes, she knew how stubborn the Latina could be. She knew it oh too well.

"I just really wanted to because they were showing us a new technique to roll off to get on our feet faster. I kinda misjudged it, I guess, twisted my wrist and when I hit the ground, my arm was really... ugh... twisted as well."

"Oh, my poor babe!" Not thinking, or rather forgetting the state the brunette was in, Arizona put her arms around the taller girl's body and hugged her tight, making Callie hiss out in pain again. "Oh shoot, sorry!"

"Easy, honey. Just because they literally pumped my body with drugs at the hospital, doesn't mean I am numb."

"I am so sorry. I... did I hurt you badly?" One hand moving back to her girlfriend's cheek and the other reaching for her right hand, she looked down at her feet again.

"It's okay. I take any pain because I'm finally back where I belong."

"You can be so cheesy if you want", the blonde replied with a smile before she bit her bottom lip, hard.

"What's wrong?"

"Can I kiss you?"

Sighing and inhaling deeply, she let out a happy "Please" and leaned down to capture a set of pink lips in a tender kiss.

"How -", the blonde started when they parted for a second to take a breath, but was cut off by soft lips again. "Long -", she tried again as she tore her mouth away – unsuccessfully. "Do you -" Noticing that her girlfriend was just about to interrupt her question once again, she stepped away, leaving a pouting Calliope standing a good ten inches away from her. "Have to wear this?"

"This?", Callie asked, tugging at one end of the sling with her right hand. Getting a nod from the dimpled girl, she said, "For about two or three weeks. Depends on how much time my shoulder needs to heal."

"So you'll be banned from sport for two or three weeks?"

"Ugh, I wish that would be it. I'll have to have physical therapy after that. The doctor said that, because my muscles are well trained and everything, it shouldn't take as long as for not so sporty people, but he also said that – all in all – it will take about five to seven weeks before I should even think of being on the court again." Letting out a frustrated sigh, she closed the distance Arizona had put between them and let her hand move up the blonde's arm, over her shoulder, along her neck until her fingers were finally tangled with golden locks. "I've missed you."

Now it was Arizona's turn to sigh and relish in the feeling of having the Latina back – and even more so – close again. "I've missed you too." And though there was nothing she wanted more than to just pull her in for a hungry kiss, she restrained herself and instead, stood up on her toes to be on eye level with the beautiful girl. "Hermosa", she breathed against full lips. It was the only word she really needed to know in Spanish and Callie had taught her that years ago. The rest didn't matter that much. She didn't choose Spanish in school, they both didn't. They chose advanced biology, it went better with her wish to go to Med School after College.

And though Callie hadn't voiced that wish, deep down inside the Latina something always gave her butterflies when she thought about the possibility of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. So, advanced biology was it. Besides, she already knew how to speak Spanish, so why wasting time?

"Before we're getting lost in kissing each other senseless", she chuckled, "I do have one question."

"And what would that be", Callie asked.

"Will you stay the night?"

"What do you think I am here for?"

"Awesome!", the blonde exclaimed, catching the Latina's lips immediately in one of the softest kisses ever and carefully guided them over to her bed.

xxx

"Damn it", she cursed. That shoulder immobilizer did exactly what it was called. It 'immobilized' her. She hated it already. How was she supposed to get undressed and furthermore dressed again when every move hurt like hell? And how she would get some sleep was beyond her, because she lay on her left side almost every night. Okay, partly on her side and partly on her stomach with her legs spread out, taking in a lot of space of the bed, but that was so not the point right now. That shoulder thing was, though.

"Calliope, you okay in there?", she heard her girlfriend's voice on the other side of the bathroom door after two soft knocks.

"Uhm, yeah. I'll be out in a minute", she answered and let out a frustrated sigh again. She seemed to do that a lot today and she somehow sensed that it wouldn't stop any time soon. Brushing the comb through her thick dark tresses for the umpteenth time in the last ten minutes – because that was something she could do on her own – she eyed herself in the mirror. The black eye looked a lot worse than it actually hurt as long as she didn't laugh. So did her lip.

She looked tired but that was due to the last week of power exercises and practicing from sunrise to dawn. Her shoulder though, and the memory of her wrist, looked bad. Yes, it was just another torn ligament, but they always looked... horrible, at least the bruising did. She should be happy that Arizona could not see it because she really didn't like the image of that.

"You sure you okay, Calliope?", the blonde asked again.

Turning to the door she turned the key and stepped out. "I am perfectly fine", she answered.

"But... you're still dressed in your street clothes..." She chuckled. Her girlfriend had trade her blue jeans for a pair of shorts but was still wearing the light sweatshirt and the tank under it. Basically, her upper body was still dressed the same as when she entered her room two hours ago. "Are you still wearing your bra?"

Blushing, she sighed again. "I couldn't change, okay? As soon as I so much as tried to take off the sling, it felt like my arm was falling off or something like that. And then it took me about five minutes to change my pants. Do you know how tight these jeans are? I hate it already!" When she finished her confession, she found deep blue eyes staring up at her with nothing but love and adoration in them. Though she felt still embarrassed and not as independent as she liked to be, the look Arizona was giving her made it all better, even vanished some of the embarrassing she felt.

"Hey now. You could have just asked me to help you", the blonde said with a smile and pushed the Latina back in the bathroom and locked the door before she added with a wink, "You know, I've seen you naked before."

The light chuckling sound that erupted the brunette's mouth made Arizona grin from ear to ear, loving that she still had that effect on her girlfriend. "So, how do we do this?"

"I don't know. I guess I have to take this off, but I rather not because-"

"Because it hurts, I get that. But do you really fancy sleeping with your bra still on? That's not comfy. Like, not at all."

Groaning, she gave in. Arizona did have a point here. "You're right. Promise me to be careful?"

"Am I ever not careful?", she asked, the sincerity evident in her voice.

"No", Callie replied honestly. She was just scared. Her left side went through too much today. Not that she would admit it out loud, because she never did and always tried to be the strong one, but she was scared.

"Okay, remember what you said to me when we... you know? We'll go slow." Pressing a soft kiss to a tanned cheek, she moved around the brunette's body and waited for Callie to support her left arm with her right before she loosened the velcro fastening of the sling. "You okay there?"

"Y-yeah", she breathed out in a shaky voice.

"Tell me if you need me to stop, okay?"

The warmth in her girlfriend's voice shot straight to her heart and she couldn't help the smile. Not that she wanted to, because she loved the blonde with all her heart. And she called herself lucky that the girl with these amazing blues eyes loved her back.

Standing face to face with her girlfriend again, the smaller girl said, "Okay, so, that's done. Now we have to get your arm out of the sling. Do you think that will work if you hold your arm and I move the fabric?"

"We can at least try", the brunette offered with a small smile and got a smile in return from the stunning blonde. "On three?"

"It's always on three", Arizona grinned, remembering the time they tried to kiss for the first time and finally kissed for the first time. Taking a deep breath, blue eyes flicked up and met brown soulful orbs that told her, that she indeed was scared. "It will be okay, I promise. I'll be as gentle as I can, okay?"

Nodding, the Latina closed her eyes and moved to hold her arm up at with her right hand under her left elbow.

"One", Arizona started.

"Two", followed Callie's voice.

"Three." And when the word left her lips, she cautiously tugged on the fabric, observing her girlfriend's face for any possible twitches. Callie didn't move an inch, though and the blonde thought she didn't even breathe until two minutes later the sling was gone as well. "There, all gone."

"I somehow think that was the easier part", the brunette stated.

"Possible. Do you want to take something before we take off the rest?"

"No. I rather take the meds once we're all snuggled up in bed... as much as this is possible."

"Okay. I'd say we get your right arm out of the sweater, then your head and then see how it will go from there?"

"Sounds good. Just-"

"Slow, I know", Arizona reassured with a smile and already started to help Callie getting her right arm free and pulling the material over the head and face that was surrounded by wonderful brown curls. Careful not to hurt her girlfriend she maneuvered the sleeve over her arm without moving the shoulder part too much. Removing her girlfriend's bra just as gentle, she looked at the brunette. "Okay, so that wasn't so bad, now, was it? But as much as I like you topless and I really like that I can look as much as I want, we do have to get you dressed again. But, before we do that, do you want to take a shower?"

"Do I smell?", Callie asked, her eyes narrowed.

"What? No, Calliope, you don't smell. Well, you do, but only like you always do. But usually you do take a shower after practice and-"

"Oh, right. But honestly, I didn't get to do that much today and I rather have that thing back", she answered and nodded over to the sling.

"Okay", the blonde smiled and helped the taller girl to get a shirt over her torso and put the sling back on. When they finally exited the bathroom, they had been in there together for about twenty minutes and she joked, "We should learn to get that done faster or we have to set the alarm at least an hour earlier and I don't want to get up at six on a schools day."

"You do remember that we're not allowed to spend the night together aside from the weekend, right?"

"Yeah. So what? Do you think I'll leave you all to yourself, struggling to get dressed? I mean, sure, Susan can help if you want that but what about the days she has the night shift? And if I have to, I'll come over every morning."

"You'd do that?"

"I'd do a lot more for you, Calliope. Getting up before the crack of dawn is not so bad when I get to see you naked as a reward."

"Why does it sound as if you're just with me because of my body", she quipped.

"I am not! And you should know that. I love you", she pouted, making her dimples pop into her cheeks.

"Hey, come here." Tugging at the blonde's hand she pulled her in and their bodies softly crashed against each other. "I love you too." And with that she connected their lips and soon their tongues were dancing to the tunes playing in their minds. It was a dance only the two of them knew the steps to, but frankly, they were the only ones who needed to know.

xxx

Her sling was more of an issue than she'd first thought. Not only was it really hard to sleep, eat and do everything else you usually do with two hands without noticing, but the getting ready for the day part really annoyed her. Well, partly annoyed her. To get up earlier than she normally had to was not in the top 5 of favorite things of her life. And though Arizona had kept her promise and showed up at the Menken's doorstep with the first ray of sunlight illuminating her bedroom, it wasn't a good solution. Luckily, the Colonel had given in after three mornings of his daughter being up before him and Arizona was now allowed to stay the nights at Callie's or the brunette would spend the night at her girlfriend's place. It didn't mean that her life was easier now, but she liked having the dimpled girl so close every night and waking up next to her in the morning.

But right now she found herself struggling yet again with the simple task of getting lunch in the school cafeteria – without her girlfriend; because the blonde was still in sports class, which clearly was off the table for the Latina for a while. Sure, she was lucky that her teachers didn't force her to sit in the gym and watch her classmates getting all sweaty, but volunteering in younger Spanish classes was not as entertaining as it sounded. Especially since Spanish class didn't start for another week or so because the teacher was still in Spain, and Callie felt doomed to wait for her girlfriend. So after sitting in the school's library for the better part of her free time, flicking through some of the notes Arizona had made for her because she obviously was in no condition to write, she thought of getting a head start at getting lunch. Well, easier said done when you still have to – somehow – carry your things. After all, she lacked the use of her second arm. And it made her crave for the weekend even more, although the thought of going 'car-shopping' with Arizona would probably be exhausting. At least there was no alarm going off and no pale hand dragging her out of bed in the wee hours of the morning.

"You're Calliope Torres, aren't ya?"

Startled by the tap on her shoulder, Callie turned around on the spot where she was standing in the queue and came face to face with a tall red-haired girl with blue eyes that also held a hint of gray and green. Tilting her head to the left and narrowing her eyes, she tried to remember whether she'd seen the girl before or not. She was beautiful, without a doubt and Callie wasn't blind. But to her, every other girl faded in comparison to her girlfriend.

"Do you have a speech problem?", the girl asked.

Shaking her head while once again eying the girl in front of her, she wondered if she was really that oblivious to everything that happened outside of her beautiful relationship-bubble if the redhead knew her name and she didn't even remember seeing her.

"Not much of a talker, are ya?"

"I am, Calliope Torres, I mean. But only very few people call me that and get away with it", she smiled. "I go by Callie and you are..?"

"Oh, right. Sorry. I'm Addison Forbes Montgomery. I saw you this morning in advanced biology. Or rather, I heard you giving all the answers to every question Mr. Colm asked. You kind of a biology crack?"

"Uhm... bones are easy", Callie answered with a small smile. And she was still as fascinated as ever by bones and muscles and cords and oooh, the structure of all of it.

"Not so easy when you're dealing with an injury, huh? You need some help?" Without waiting for an answer, the redhead took the books out of Callie's arm.

"Ugh... thanks?", the brunette muttered, a little confused by the impetuous nature of Addison. "I've never seen you before."

"Oh, we just moved here a week ago. How did that happen?" she asked and seemed to not take a breath between her answer and the question.

"Volleyball", she stated.

"Ouch?"

"Pretty much, yeah." Moving along with the rest of the people waiting in the queue, she got finally close enough to decide what she would eat today just by looking at the offered meals.

"Dislocated?"

"Yeah. How did you know?"

"Wild guess, lucky guess", the girl grinned. "Anything you can recommend?"

"Everything's as good as anything else. They won't win a star for their food, but you don't get sick from eating it." She decided to go with the pasta today. That was always the safest choice when the rest just didn't look so appealing to her. Thankfully though, they didn't have to eat here every day, actually, only on Thursdays. But this day was enough for her to appreciate a home cooked meal – even if it was heated up again – even more.

"Oh, sounds inviting", the girl laughed.

Paying for her food, she asked, "You always like that?"

"Like what?"

"So... forward. I mean, we don't really know each other." And though it was the truth, she somehow liked the girl.

"You sounded nice", Addison stated with a shrug and paid for her food as well. "And you looked like you really needed a hand here, with all those books and notes. What's all of this anyways? School just started a week ago."

"Notes Arizona took for me." They walked over to one of the tables and while Callie managed to balance the tray just fine she was really glad that Addison was carrying her books for her.

"That the blonde sitting next to you? You seem close. Is she your best friend or something?" She'd watched the girls taking turns in whispering and laughing quietly from where she'd been sitting on the window side of the class room.

"More like my girlfriend", the Latina answered with a wide and proud smile at the thought of Arizona. Thinking of her always had that effect on her. Plus, she would never hide their love. People who mattered didn't mind and people who mind didn't matter to her. Up until now, their relationship had been accepted by almost everyone. Sure, there were always some boys giving them some weird looks when they were walking through the halls hand in hand. But really, they were no news anymore at school and everywhere else for that matter.

"Oh... oh! That's cool." Picking up some of the chicken and waggling the fork in the air, she looked at the brunette, her eyes burning question marks into the other girl's eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing. I just... you don't look like the girls at my old school that were into girls."

"How do I look?", the Latina asked, still a little intimidated by the boldness of the redhead.

"So female."

"Uhm, last time I checked I was a girl", Callie answered, and tugged a few strands of long dark hair behind her left ear with her right hand before digging into her food.

"No shit", Addison grinned. "Maybe it's a Boston thing, but the girls that were openly into girls were more... manly."

"So, you're from Boston? And what is manly supposed to mean?"

"You know, short hair, baggy pants and shirts, baseball caps."

"Sounds... desirable", she joked. "Seriously though, that's not me... nor Arizona."

"Looks like. She doesn't look like one of those girls as well."

"She isn't." They were both quite the opposite, with their long tresses and skin tight jeans or shorts. Frankly, they both loved their hoodies, but who didn't?

"How long have you two been together? You seem close, like, _really _close", Addison mentioned again.

"That's because we know each other for more than ten years."

"Wow. So... is she your first?", the redhead asked, pursing her lips and wriggling her eyebrows at the slightly intimate question.

"First kiss, first love, first everything", Callie answered without hesitation. Why wouldn't she. She'd witnessed some of her friends crushing for one boy after the other. Or some of the older girls of her team – when she was younger – breaking up with their boyfriends and she hoped and wished that this would never happen to them.

"Sounds like a fairytale", she winked.

"More like a Disney movie", the brunette laughed. But her laughter turned into a dreamy smile as soon as she spotted her other half and waved her over and welcomed her with a quick peck. "Hey."

"Hey yourself", Arizona replied, giving Callie almost the same dreamy look and put a tray with food on the table before she turned her attention to the redhead and held out her hand, "Hi, I am Arizona."

"Addison."

"Well, nice to meet you."

"How was sport?"

Taking a sip from her apple juice through the straw before even thinking about answering – because she loved drinking with a straw between her lips – she said, "Tiring. One would think I'm in good shape, but somehow basketball always wears me out to no end. I'm too small for that sport. What did you do?"

"Just checking your notes, making sure I can decipher your handwriting", the brunette teased, making sure that Arizona knew she was just messing with her.

"And you managed to get yourself something to eat."

"Uhm, yeah, Addison helped a lot."

"Yup, a lot", the redhead grinned, already finished with her lunch. "Couldn't let a damsel in distress starve to death."

Laughing out loud and trying to keep the juice inside her mouth, which was kind of an impossible task, Arizona had to place her hand over her lips until she finally swallowed it down. "I like her, she's funny."

"She is", Addison said for herself and asked. "How long's your day today?"

"Two more hours to go and we can go home", the Latina smiled.

"But it's Maths..."

"Not so hard", Callie rebutted.

"For you, everything is 'not so hard'", the blonde smiled and brushed the strands that had fallen into the Latina's face again behind her ear and kissed her girlfriend's cheek after she had softly whispered "Brainy" into the Latina's ear.

"You're cute together", Addison stated, pointing at the girls with her fork and making two heads turn into her direction, both a little flushed and embarrassed about forgetting that they were not alone. "Don't look like that. It's not a bad thing."

"So, Addison, I've never seen you before... ", the dimpled girl started and so the whole interview began anew.

xxx

As the clock struck 7.30pm, they were finally done with their homework for English class and gathered their belongings together on the table in the kitchen. Usually, they would just do it in one of their rooms with Callie using the desk and Arizona lying flat on her stomach on the floor. And though together, they'd write down their separate thoughts and compare them in the end only to find out that they almost all the time had the same opinion about the 'author's intention'. These days though, they discussed it openly and the blonde would write it down for both of them. Not only would it take Callie more than hours to type it down with one hand, but Arizona would surely get a tendonitis sooner or later if she would have to write two tasks containing about 500 to 1000 words every other day. But thanks to their teachers – who knew both girls were smart enough on their own – they were allowed to hand in one essay with both their names under it. This way, Callie wouldn't lose out on grades she wanted to stay on top of the class and Arizona didn't have to do double the work.

"I think this Addison is kinda nice", the blonde said, putting two cups that once were filled with some nice cocoa into the dishwasher.

"Yeah, she seems alright. A little... without filter, but nice nonetheless."

"Oh yes. Definitely without filter. But she's funny", Arizona chuckled and mused, "Could be a good friend. Since we're so 'female', we could have some girls nights."

"Haha yeah, that was confusing." Of course, the brunette had told her girlfriend about the little chat she'd had with Addison before Arizona had joined them. "I don't think a girl with short hair and acting like a boy would do it for me."

"Why, Calliope, I am hurt. You're practically saying that you would not be with me if I'd look different", she teased.

"Unlike you, I am with you not because of your body", the Latina mocked back and nudged the blonde's side with her hip. "And I would still love you if you'd walk around like a boy and suddenly start to act like one too, because well, I love you. But I am really glad you're the way you are. With all the extra energy and perkiness that is so... you."

"So... if I would cut my hair...", Arizona tried again.

"Mhmm, there would certainly be some things I'd miss, but that would not change my feelings."

"Things you'd miss?" Blue eyes locked on brown, practically demanding an answer but in a lovely way.

"This, for example", Callie answered and tangled her fingers in silky blonde curls as she leaned down for a chaste kiss. "And your braids."

"You do love my braids", the blonde partly smiled and partly pouted.

Replying with a simple "That I do", the Latina grabbed some of her stuff. "What do you say about stopping here? We still have Math to do but that can wait for the weekend. Right now, I don't feel like doing Algebra. And I think Mrs. Wilson already ruined my brain enough today."

"That's funny, coming from you, brainy", the blonde teased. She loved that Callie was so smart, she just couldn't understand how something like _Algebra_ could be fun in the eyes of her girlfriend when clearly, it was no fun at all.

"You're just jealous that it comes so easy to me", Callie countered and walked out of the kitchen.

"So, what if I am. Everything comes so easy to you. Math, Biology, English. It's just not fair", she huffed when she caught up with the brunette just as she was about to head upstairs. Because she really had it easy in Art and Music as well.

"Oh, don't act like it's not easy for you. And it's not like I don't have to study at all. I do and there are things that are well, not as easy for me as they are for you", the Latina stated, very well remembering the time when they were going through DNS and she really had a hard time to get the exceptions, special cases and reasons for genetic diseases in her brain while the blonde just got it right from the start.

"That's because I am awesome", Arizona stated very convincing before she opened the door to Callie's bedroom. "We're both awesome, in fact."

"Mhmm", the Latina hummed. "Have you already thought about what car you want to have? I mean, it's not like we'll get a new one and I know that, but... you know what I mean."

Putting everything she had in her arms and hands down on the always tidied up desk of her girlfriend she turned around a little too fast an bumped into the taller body, which wouldn't usually be an issue, but now? "Shoot, Calliope. I am sorry. Did I hurt you? I didn't mean to-" Her rambling was cut off by soft lips and when an arm circled around her waist, she knew Callie was okay and let out a sigh of relief. It had taken some time of adjustment for them to find out which way of cuddling or sleeping was okay and mostly painless. They did, eventually. And secretly, Arizona loved that she – for a change – was the one wrapped in a tight embrace one leg holding her close and an arm curled up on her left side. She even loved feeling the Latina's breath against her shoulder or neck, sometimes even on her chest. "Oh God", she moaned as full lips moved over to her neck, lightly nibbling and sucking on her pulse point. She could easily die this moment without noticing. And she was sure, if they didn't do something about her pent up lust, she would explode sooner or later.

"Hey you still with me?" Callie asked when the blonde had been a little too quiet for her liking. Because Arizona's neck was one of her _most _sensitive spots and if she didn't get any sound out of that beautiful mouth, that mostly meant that her beautiful girlfriend's mind was somewhere else.

"Y-y-yeah", she stammered.

"What's wrong?", the Latina asked, now concerned and looked straight into those ocean blue orbs.

"It's... stupid. It's noting", she brushed it off and let her dimples pop into her cheeks, a sure way to catch Callie off guard, but not this time.

"Talk to me, Arizona", the brunette pleaded, her fingers playing with long golden strands.

"It's just... I miss you."

"But I am right here", Callie replied, not quite getting where her girlfriend was coming from.

"I know. What I meant was... miss _you_, touching _you _and not just because I'm helping you in the morning and before we go to bed. I just... I want you so much. But we can't and that sucks, like _really _sucks, because we already had to wait two weeks and now we have to wait another few weeks until you-" Yet again, she was shut up by full lips claiming hers in a long kiss.

"Breathe", the Latina smiled when they parted. "Or you might die one day because of one of your rambles. "And just for the record, I want you too. And you have no idea how hard it is to have you naked, with me, in the shower and not being able to touch you because we have to get ready for school."

"That's only because you have too much self-control for my liking." Capturing her girlfriend's mouth in another kiss, she traced her tongue over the full bottom lip of the Latina and couldn't hold back the moan as she granted her access. Of course, kissing had been no problem at all, but there was no way she could ignore the fire in her body when Callie was kissing her like that. "Okay, we have to stop this or I might forget that your shoulder is damaged and pin you down on your bed" the blues eyed teenager groaned and stepped out of the brunette's embrace.

"I think with a few pillows in my back that wouldn't be an issue."

"You sure?"

"We can at least try, can't we?"

Not even dignifying the last question with an answer, the blonde put all the pillows and smaller cushions against the headboard and – in the favor of saving time – got rid of her shirt as well.

"Are you stealing my fun again?"

"You couldn't have done it anyways, so I am just helping you. But I do think, before we lay down, we should even out the playground."

And though her girlfriend was smirking and sending her a wink, Callie knew that she was not joking at all when pale fingers already started to unbutton her shirt. They'd found out, that those shirts were easy to put on and get off, since she didn't have to lift her arm that much and so she went to the mall after school on Tuesday to get a few of them. Simple ones, in a few different colors. Now though, she just discovered another perk of those shirts because once Arizona was done with the last button, she felt fingernails grazing over the skin of her stomach to follow the line of her bra. She gulped. "Even enough?"

"Mhmm, close", the blonde hummed and attached her lips to the Latina's collar bone, teeth softly nibbling at the tanned skin. "You taste so good." Her fingers made their way to her girlfriend's back and unclasped the bra with ease. Just because Callie's arm was still securely trapped in the sling, didn't mean she had to fully undress her to have some fun. Pushing the bra cups up, her fingers lightly caressed the new exposed skin and her thumb flicked over a stiff peak. "Bed", she husked and pushed the brunette backwards until her calves met the edge of the wooden bed. Usually, she'd push her down but for now, Callie had to carefully sit down, scoot back and cautiously lean her back against the pillows. "Does that work?"

"I guess so", she smiled and reached out for Arizona's hand to pull her closer. "Come here."

Taking off her bra first, she happily complied and slowly lowered her body onto the Latina's. Skin came in contact with skin and the feeling of need and want rushed through both their bodies.

"Damn."

"What?", Arizona asked, afraid she'd hurt the beautiful girl beneath her.

"I want you", the Latina moaned out only to be cut off by a hungry kiss and a pale hand finally roaming her body the way she'd wanted to.

"You'll tell me if I have to stop?" Getting only a nod in response, blue eyes watched as pools of brown fluttered close and Callie's chest rose with a deep intake of air. She kissed the skin of the brunette's neck, not stopping at her collar bone this time, but instead moving down to caress a perfect tanned breast with her lips and tongue, cupping the other one with her hand to give both of them equal attention. "You're so... stunning", she breathed out, one hand softly kneading the flesh that fit so perfectly in her palm while the other one was on its certain way southwards. Tugging at the waistband of the or a pair of black jeans, she whispered "We need to get these off", before unbuttoning and unzipping it and immediately pulling at the fabric.

Helping her girlfriend by lifting her hips, she pushed one side of her pants down while Arizona worked on the other side. Once she was lying on her bed in only panties and her unbuttoned shirt and pushed up bra, she tried to control her breathing. "You, too", she rasped and stared unashamed as the blonde shimmied out of her jeans, pushing her panties down as well. Swallowing at the familiar but yet still new sight before here, her hips bucked out of any control against the blonde's leg.

"Impatient, are we?", Arizona teased.

"Need you. Now", the Latina breathed out and flung her right arm around her girlfriend's neck to pull her close, crashing their lips together and hooking her left thigh around the slim girl's legs to hold her in place. She let go of the hair her fingers had automatically tangled themselves in and brushed her hand along the pale skin of Arizona's side. She felt clumsy because her right hand was not as skilled or nimble as her left hand was, but once she reached the hipbone, she let out a breath and brought her hand to her girlfriend's front.

"Calliope", she moaned as tanned fingers touched the spot she wanted and needed them most. "Ooooh..."

Looking up at the pretty face, she noticed teeth biting into a soft bottom lip and a concentrated expression. "Breathe, baby." Finding the spot again and again in a circular motion, she felt the body on top of hers reacting to her ministrations more and more. Fingertips found more and more wetness and the room was filled with soft moans spilling from a parted mouth. Now, that was a sight for sore eyes. But it was for her eyes only.

"Cal- oh!" Blue eyes shot open and locked on brown as a finger had – unintentionally – moved a little lower. Her body tensed up, fingers clenched the bed sheets on either side of the brunette to keep herself from jerking too much.

Stopping her movements, she studied the blonde's face. "Sorry?"

"No!"

"Okay", Callie smiled and did it again, not really knowing what she had done but Arizona seemed to like it. Her palm was pressed against the other teenager's center and it didn't take long before the blonde's body trembled on top of hers and a long moan filled her ears. "I love you", she breathed out and waited for her girlfriend to calm down. And as a tongue invaded her mouth, she knew Arizona would take care of the fire that was burning inside her whole body. Sling and shoulder be damned, she wouldn't miss out on the satisfied feeling again.


	26. I just mhmm Part 6

AN: Here's the new update. Thank you for the birthday wishes! I had a really good day and finally felt better again. Which leads to, I am working on an update for TIAM2, it's in progress, but work is always getting in the way.

* * *

"Saturday!", Arizona woke up with a start and shot into a sitting position in her girlfriend's bed. The big smile evident in her face, although one glimpse out of the window told her that it was a very dark and rainy day in Seattle. Yeah, nothing new here. But today, they would meet up with their parents and finally look for a car. A car, that would be solely hers and Callie's. No more asking if they could have her mom's car to go to the cinema. No more begging for Liam to pick them up from the diner after their Friday practices in swimming and volleyball. None of that. And because the breathtaking Latina who was still sound asleep next to her was, due to her injury in no condition to drive a car, she would be driving them around for the next couple of weeks.

Carefully slipping out from under the covers to not wake the sleeping beauty, the blonde jumped into a pair of shorts and pulled one of her girlfriend's tanks over her head, because she felt a little chilly. Why Callie was dressed and she was mostly naked, she didn't know. And usually, she wouldn't mind and just snuggle closer – sometimes even impossibly closer – into the taller girl's body, but she still feared she could unintentionally hurt her. Plus, she loved wearing Callie's clothes, no matter if it was a shirt or her sweatpants. Okay, admittedly, the latter were a bit too long for her legs, but to be honest, there was nothing more comfy than Callie's long dark gray sweats. And they always smelled like the Latina and she just smelled... she couldn't label it. It was like, out of this world, no word to describe what the brunette's scent did to her.

"Why did you leave the bed?", came the heavily sleepy voice of her girlfriend.

"I felt cold", she answered. She was sure Callie hadn't even opened her eyes to notice that she was gone.

"And now I feel cold too", she pouted and it was one of the cutest things for the blonde. Callie always pretended to be the strong one. But Arizona knew the real Calliope Torres. The one who secretly loved watching Disney movies with her though she would deny it any time of day. The one that cared like crazy for other people and was pretty independent, but also the side who needed her close and wasn't ashamed to show it. "Come back to bed?", reached the request – still weak from sleep – the blue eyed girl's ear and there was no way she'd turn her down.

So, crawling back under the blanket, she felt the body next to her tense up as her cold feet brushed against a tanned shin, eliciting a not so pleasant groan out of the Latina. "Sorry."

"Mhmm", the other girl hummed and nuzzled her nose into strands of golden hair, inhaling deeply as she did so.

"Did you sleep okay?"

"Mhmm", Callie sleepily moaned again.

"How's your shoulder?", the blonde asked with concern. She vaguely remembered Callie taking her pain killers last night, but she wasn't sure if it really was last night or if it was the night before.

"Cuts like a knife", she answered honestly and winced in pain just at the picture of moving her shoulder. Sleeping always made her arm stiff and sore that it even hurt to move her fingers.

"You want your meds?"

"Can I have a kiss first?" Opening one eye to look at Arizona, she noticed the smile her question had put on the blonde's lips. "Please."

"Mhmm, as if I could say no to that", she grinned and leaned over to kiss the set of full lips that belonged to the miraculous girl that owned her heart. But before Callie could even think about deepening the kiss, the blonde ended the kiss and studied her girlfriend's face. There was no actual sign of pain, but she knew that it meant a lot if Callie confessed she was in pain. "Meds?"

"Yes, please", the Latina groaned, not happy about the fact that Arizona had to leave the bed again - and the room for that matter, but very grateful that she didn't have to get up yet. Because moving would mean more pain and that was never a good way to start the day. Thankfully though, the medication kicked in very fast and it eased the stiffness and tension in her body within a few minutes.

Coming back into the room, Arizona found the Latina in the same position as when she'd left to get her a glass of water to go with the medication. "Do you know what today is?", she asked as she handed everything.

Nodding while playing with two pills in her palm, one as a protection for her stomach and the other one for the pain, she took a sip of water before she swallowed down the meds with another sip. "It's Saturday and I am up and awake way too early."

"It's car-shopping-day!", Arizona squealed and clapped her hands. "And it's not too early. It's 8AM, mom and dad will be here in about two hours so that gives us enough time to get ready without the need to hurry. So, we can take a long, hot... and I mean hot _and _hot shower together." Seeing Callie's brown eyes turn into an even darker shade of brown she knew she'd said the right thing to finally wake up the brunette's brain. One, the Latina simply loved her morning shower. Two, despite her own cravings to touch her girlfriend's body for more than just to soap and rinse it, they didn't have the time for that in the morning, because well, school was not waiting for them to show up. And three, after Thursday evening, they knew that Callie's injury was an obstruction but no reason to stop at all.

"So you made up your mind about the car and what you want?", the teenager asked, not so subtly changing the subject.

"Nah, I don't care. I want a nice one and I want either Mushu or Dory as a car."

Choking on the latest sip of water, Callie looked quizzically at the blonde. "Come again?"

"I want a car that fit either the name Mushu or Dory."

"You want to give _our _car a name? And not just any name? You want to name it after a Disney character?", she asked in disbelief, raising her left perfectly shaped eyebrow.

"Of course, Calliope", the blonde said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world and explained further, "Every car deserves to have a name and especially every first car. I thought about naming it Kevin, you know, like the bird in UP. But then it would be a very colorful car and I am not so sure if I want that."

"And what would a Mushu or Dory look like? Would it spit fire or have fins?", she teased.

"Don't mock these names, Calliope. It's all about the color. If it is a red car, it will be Mushu and if it's blue, well, that's obvious." Walking over to her girlfriend's dresser to grab some clothes for the both of them, she missed the mischievous grin and the glint in the Latina's eyes.

"And what if I want a Nemo?" Arizona would probably see right through her, but it was worth a try.

"Oh no, Calliope. Because that would be orange and I just don't do orange. And neither do you, for that matter." Happy with her choices she turned around and came face to face with a tall giggling brunette. "Oh you! You were just messing with me, weren't you?"

"A little", Callie admitted and successfully pinned the smaller girl with her body against the dresser.

"Not nice", the blonde huffed.

Lifting her leg so that her thigh easily slipped between her girlfriend's legs, she heard the gasp that left soft pink lips. "You were saying?", she husked into the dimpled girl's ear right before her lips found that certain spot behind Arizona's earlobe, evoking a soft moan. When she felt the blonde's arms move, she interlaced the fingers of her right hand with the other's left and effectively prevented her from pushing her away.

"Not... nice", she breathed out while she tried to keep her heart rate under control, fully aware that she was at the brunette's mercy.

"Mhmm, I don't think your body shares your mind's opinion", Callie whispered against the pale neck. Sucking lightly at the pulse point because they came to the agreement not to leave any visible marks, she pushed her leg up again, pressing it against the blonde's center with a little bit more force.

Mouth parted, Arizona let go of the clothing in her hand. Her distracted brain recognized the belt buckle hitting the floor, but it somehow seemed very far away to get her full attention. "Calliope", she moaned. How Callie could go from mocking to being all seductive was beyond her comprehension.

Feeling the vibration against her lips, the Latina sighed. She knew she had to stop it and she really wanted to get in the shower with Arizona, but she couldn't move to save her life. The feeling of her girlfriend's body involuntarily grinding against her thigh was simply too consuming. Plus, she felt the girl's body reaction through her pants and that was more than just hot.

"I think-" She was cut off by the groan she was not able to hold back when she felt Callie's tongue licking a path down from her ear to the spot where neck meets shoulder. Teeth pulled at the fabric of the tank to expose more of her skin, Arizona felt her knees go week. Her heart was about to beat out of her chest if it wasn't for her rip cage holding it in place. "Shower", was all she got out. Still, she wasn't sure, if she really wanted the brunette to stop or if she should ask for more.

"Don't wanna", the Latina mumbled, still devouring the delicious flesh that belonged to the stunning and cute girl she had trapped between her body and the dresser. "But if you insist..." She trailed off and made a step backwards, noticing immediately the blonde's flushed cheeks and the slightly red marks on her neck. They weren't strong so they would fade within the next half hour or so. But she reveled in the sight before her. Because usually, Arizona was the one that could make her body freeze on the spot and make her brain become all mushy. Now though, now that the roles were reversed, she saw why the girl with the amazing blue eyes loved it so much to have this immense power over her. "Shower?", she chirped and stroked with her thumb over the back of the blonde's hand.

"Uh huh...", Arizona breathed out, her legs still wobbly and she was sure, would she try to move, she'd fall and would land flat on her face, so she tried to steady herself first by pressing her back against the wooden furniture. "You-" She opened her eyes only to very dark brown orbs staring back at her. "Are evil."

"Maybe it's the pain killers", Callie winked.

"Good Lord." She hoped it wasn't true. If she had any say in it the Latina could be like that every day. She'd only have to make sure to have more self-control.

"Shower?", the brunette asked again.

"Yeah. I need one now. A cold one."

Laughing, Callie opened the door of her room and left for the bathroom, knowing that her girlfriend would follow soon after.

XXX

When Arizona entered the bathroom after another couple of minutes she had needed to get her brain back to work, she found the brunette standing with her back turned to the door. Their eyes locked through the mirror and Callie smiled with the tooth brush in her mouth. It was one of the few things she could do without any help. It had taken her two mornings and one night to figure out how to get the paste onto the brush – talk about being a brainy – but the proud smile on the Latina's face had been enough for the blonde not to laugh.

"What?", she asked without moving the toothbrush, making that one word sound a little unclear, more like 'wash'.

"Nothing", the blonde smiled, her blue eyes scanning her girlfriend's body from her head to her legs. Stunning legs. Hot legs. There was no denying, she had a thing for Callie's long legs. And for her ass. And her hands. And... hell, all of Calliope, if she was honest. "You're just...gorgeous."

Grinning like a Cheshire cat, she refocused on the task at hand and watched the petite girl walking up to her. Her breath hitched slightly as she felt Arizona's front pressed against her back and pale hands encircle her waist. She was still worked up from their little action in her bedroom, so any body on body contact could reignite the fire that was still simmering inside her with ease.

"I want you", Arizona whispered, her lips so close to the brunette's ear, that breath tickled the lobe. "Now."

Letting out a soft moan, Callie closed her eyes.

"Do you know what you just did to me? You know how sensitive my neck is...", she husked and softly grazed the skin of the Latina's neck with her teeth. Noticing Callie's body tense up and all her movements stopped, she made a few steps back to put some space between them. Pools of blue stared unashamed when Callie rinsed her mouth from any toothpaste and tanned hand wiped away the rest.

"Y- uhm... you're staring", she stammered.

"Can you blame me?", the blonde asked. Her fingers fidgeting with the hem of the tank before she slowly tugged at the fabric to pull it off. When she found brown eyes locked on her upper body, she grinned and – in one swift motion – pushed down her pants and stepped out of them. "Now you're the one who's staring."

But staring was Callie's only reaction. Her lips were slightly parted, the gulp that left her mouth very audible when she finally turned around to face her girlfriend. "And you said I was evil?"

The smirk tugging at the corners of the smaller girls mouth, she pulled the brunette closer by the waistband of her panties. "You are", she stated in a whisper, her lips mere inches away from the Latina's.  
Engulfing her girlfriend in a kiss that started really innocent but turned more greedy with every passing second, she unfastened the sling and managed to take it completely off without any complications. It had been a part of their mornings and evenings for almost a week now, maybe it had become kind of a routine, just like getting rid of a normal shirt.

"The bruising's fading", Arizona noticed with a smile and carefully peppered the injured part of the taller girl's body with light pecks. When soft lips made their way over sensitive skin down to Callie's breast, the blonde didn't wait to let her tongue play with an erect bud. She felt strong fingers tangle in her hair and light tugging at a few tresses long before she heard the moan of appreciation toppling over full lips. That was all the affirmation Arizona needed to guide Callie into the shower and push the tall brunette firmly, yet still cautiously, against the tiles, closing the glass door with her foot.

"Hmpf, Arizona", Callie breathed out, her voice already quivering with desire. Her girlfriend's strong grip on her right shoulder turned her on to no end. The power that radiated from that petite body that was holding her against the wall, while her left hand varied between making circles on the soft flesh and cupping her breast was just too much for her. And once that hand moved further south, she was done for. Her eyes closed on their own accord and her head fell back against the tiles.

Only noticing now, that the Latina was still dressed in her panties, Arizona bit her bottom lip before moving down the teenager's body, taking the material down with her. Once the offending article was gone, the blonde let it carelessly fall behind her. She noticed that it was the first time her face was so close to Callie's most intimate part. And although they'd watched The L Word together a few times and she had a faint idea of what she could do to her in the position she was right now, she stood back up on her feet and crashed their lips together in a heated kiss.

After blindly fumbling for a few seconds, she turned on the faucet and guided them under the soft spray of hot water, her pale fingers immediately started to play with now wet dark locks. Her right hand roaming the gorgeous Latina's side. Delicate fingers moved over tanned skin, making the blonde sigh as she found a hardened peak begging for her touch. "Do you want me?", she husked seductively into Callie's ear.

Wanting her mouth to speak instead of only nodding, the brunette moaned a weak 'yes'.

"How much?", she teased.

"Arizona..."

"Oh, that much?" She was only playing with Calliope, paying her back for earlier that morning.

"Please." And with that, a hip jerked forwards, pressing slick body against slick body, making both of the girls groan out in pleasure.

That one word, the pleading sound alone was enough to send Arizona's emotions through the roof and without her brain giving the instruction to push her thigh between the Latina's legs, she did just that. She didn't know begging could be so hot. "You're so indescribable hot."

Callie moaned again. Her world seemed to be upside down, maybe inside out. She didn't know and she didn't care. All she knew was that she wanted Arizona's fingers between her legs, touching her, now. And she would plead and beg again if that would give her what she longed for. "Arizo-" Her moan was cut off as the blonde's thigh collided with the nerve ending between her legs. "Shit."

"Oh God." The blonde teenager's emotions were on a roller coaster ride. First Callie's pleading voice and now she actually cursed. That combined with the water-glistening body of her girlfriend, and Arizona could easily have landed in paradise without knowing. "Calliope." Her hand moved along the apex of a tanned thigh. She felt the muscles beneath the skin twitch under her fingertips as she slowly made her way to where not only Callie wanted her but where she wanted to be too.

Blue eyes locked on the brunette's face as her finger finally made contact, instantly feeling the different kind of wetness between her girlfriend's legs."Oh, Calliope", she moaned. It was so hot to know that she was the reason for the state the Latina's body was in. And it was even hotter to see a full bottom lip trapped between perfect white teeth and a beautiful chest rising and falling with heavy breathing. She found the bundle of nerves again and again, circling it, flicking it with her fingers. Albeit the dimmed light in the shower, she could make out the flushed cheeks of the brunette. "You are so sexy", she rasped, not sure if Callie even heard it, but she wanted to voice her thoughts.

Two sets of hips bucked and jerked wilder with every move of the blonde, the Latina still holding back a little because of her shoulder. But Arizona wanted more. She wanted to know what Callie had felt two nights ago, so she moved her hand a little lower, founding a wet entrance. The unexpected move made the grip of a tanned hand in her hair tighten and the brunette's whole body began to squirm against the tiles.

How Callie was still standing was beyond her. She should have known better than to tease her girlfriend, but it had been so much fun. And she took this kind of paycheck every day without any complaints.

Taking it another step forwards, one hand distracted the Latina by kneading a perfect breast, while one pale finger sank into wet heat up to her first knuckle. Immediately, brown eyes opened in shock. "OH!" They hadn't talked about going further. Not that it wasn't nice. It was new. And weird. Good weird though.

"Too much?", Arizona asked and stopped all her ministrations.

"No", Callie breathed out after a couple of seconds. "That's-" Stopping as she felt the finger retreating and slowly pushing inside her again, she pressed out a loud moan. She felt soft lips attacking her neck again as the finger started to push into her over and over again, never moving deeper than it was before. "Arizona..."

"You close?", the blonde asked, hearing at the sounds of her girlfriend that she was most likely on the edge.

"Mhmm", she hummed. It was the only thing she was capable of because she didn't trust her mouth anymore to form coherent words, let alone sentences.

Instinctively brushing her thumb over her girlfriend's engorged clit, Arizona felt the body stiffen against hers. Hips bucked one last time. A moan as loud as never before left the Latina's lips as she came. The smaller girl took in the sight before her and thought she could easily follow Callie over the edge just from watching her.

"That was-"

"So hot", Arizona admitted with a grin and pressed her lips against Callie's, taking her breath away as she did so. "You are amazing."

"I guess it's safe to say that you are the amazing one this morning."

"No. You are. Because you have no idea how much I need you right now." And with that, she kissed her girlfriend again, hoping that they would still have enough time left to help her with the growing wetness between her own thighs. There was no way she would leave this shower and be still like that. So she took Callie's hand and guided it down her body to where she wanted it. "Please", she repeated the Latina's words and watched with satisfaction as her blissed out girlfriend's eyes turned darker with want. Oh yeah, she had a feeling she would love morning showers on the weekend.

XXX

Walking down the hall with a happy bounce in her step, Arizona made her way over to the lockers where she'd spotted her girlfriend as soon as she'd rounded the corner. Usually, they were driving to school together – in their own car now - but since Callie was still not allowed to play again, she didn't see the sense in getting up two hours before school, so Arizona was the only one to drag herself out of her warm, comfy bed and dreamland for early practice on Wednesday morning. Callie was getting there, though. She was without the stupid sling for three weeks already and physical therapy was going good. Not fast enough for the tall Latina, but she was just being impatient and Arizona to had remind her a few times to take it easy. She could understand her. Callie was at least as eager and sporty as she was and she didn't know what she'd do without practice for more than a month. Probably be sickening to be around longer than ten minutes and a pain in the ass for her parents and girlfriend. Aside from being impatient, Callie had mostly been herself, though. That is, up until a few days ago.

Approaching the tall brunette from behind and putting her arms around her belly and locking her fingers because she loved hugging her like this and was glad she was able to do it again, she stood up on her toes to wish Callie a good morning and whispered a soft kiss on her tan cheek. She felt the body tense in her arms and the Latina was obviously holding her breath. Loosening the grip, she stepped to the side to see her girlfriend's face. "Is something wrong?"

"No. Nothing's wrong. Why do you think something's wrong?" Words toppled out of Callie's mouth and she was not able to stop her little rant.

"You're acting kinda-" She was interrupted by the first ring of the school bell, telling them it was time to go to class. It was likely the one thing she never missed during breaks, because this ring was just so annoying and too loud.

"Uhm, you know what? I'll see you in class. I have to go to the bathroom before biology starts. You know how much Mr. Colm hates it if somebody asks to leave the class room."

Without waiting for a response, she watched Callie grabbing her bag and books and storm off within seconds, heading in the direction of the toilets. And honestly, it confused the blonde. Callie hated to use the school's bathrooms. She'd rather wait until she'd almost explode than using the toilets at school. She's always been like this, whether her day had six hours or nine, she didn't use them, she'd just drink less instead. And any other day, Arizona would have brushed it off and thought that the Latina was maybe just having a bad day. But it wasn't the first time and the blonde was – on top of being confused – worried and taxing her brain if she'd done something wrong to the brunette. She couldn't come up with anything, though, so she took everything she needed for advanced biology out of her locker and headed to the class room, trying to shake off what had happened a moment ago.

"Hey, Arizona, wait!"

Hearing the familiar voice shouting her name, the blue eyed teenager stopped in her track and turned around just to see Addison running towards her. "You late again?"

"Not late... just later than I wanted to be", the red head answered with a grin. "Not my fault though. Bizzy needed my car today and the Captain would rather I am late than risking a speeding ticket."

Knowing by now, when Addison was talking about Bizzy, she meant her mom and that the Captain was just the same as the Colonel in the Robbins' family, Arizona smiled back. "Well, I for one am glad you are here, 'cause you're my partner this week and I hate doing partner tasks alone." Mr. Colm had torn her away from Callie, maybe thinking it was funny, and given her Addison as her partner. It was okay. She'd prefer to work with her girlfriend any time of day, but Addison was smart too. So as long as she didn't have to put up with someone stupid, like Callie had to with Sadie as her partner, she was fine.

"Right back at ya, partner", Addison smiled and slumped down in the chair next to the blonde. One microscope and five petri dishes with different pathogenic germs already set on the table in front of them made her nose wrincle. "Doesn't that look nice?", she asked, holding the one with mildew right into the blonde's face

"Eeeeeew, put it down. I don't want to see that before class starts!" She hated herself for admitting it, but right now, she wished they'd learn more about bones and other – for her – boring stuff.

"Geez, you're so easy to tease", the red head laughed. Noticing her partner's eyes focusing on something else, she looked in the same direction just in time to see Callie flash a bright smile to Sadie and sitting down. "What's the deal here?"

"Do you not remember the tasks Mr. Colm gave us already?"

"I wasn't talking about germs. I was talking about the two of you. You seem... off. What's wrong?" Ever since she got to know the couple her first day in the cafeteria, they were inseparable. Not attached at their hips, but always looking for each other and smiling once the other half joined them. It was cute to see them together and it was even nicer to see them being so open and free about their relationship. The stolen kisses and glances. Addison seriously thought, they've been together since forever.

"If I only would have an answer to that", Arizona huffed, her forehead hitting the table with a thud.

"Oh, that bad?"

"I don't know! She's... she's been distant lately. Like there's something going on but I have absolutely no clue what it is."

"Did you say something to upset her? Or is it just the time of the month?"

"It's not", Arizona answered. It couldn't be. Callie's body was working like a clockwork. She was never late with her period. Shaking her head, she said again, "No, it's not. She's just... last weekend, when I wanted to stay the night, she said she didn't want me to, 'cause she wanted to study. And though I told her that all our homework was done, she insisted I would go home. We haven't spent the nights in the weekend apart from each other since we officially became girlfriends and that was years ago. Okay, aside from sports camps and when we were not in the same city, that is, but... we never do that. Even when one of us is sick, we kinda sneak out and go over to be with each other. But, she insisted, I'd stay at home that night. And even the day after, she was different."

"Maybe she's really busy with school? You know how our teachers make her write all the tests and exams she'd missed now that she's allowed to write again", Addison tried to reason.

"I know that. But it's not like she has to catch up with a lot of stuff. She made me ask her questions every weekend to make sure she was keeping up with the stuff. And frankly, it's Calliope we're talking about, she's my brainy."

"But even a brainy can be stressed when it gets too much. Or... is the sex bad?", she mused, her lips pursing and her eyes gleaming.

"WHAT?" Her head shot up and the shriek left her mouth way too fast for her to react. Making 25 heads turn and 25 pairs of eyes stare at her. And although the red head sitting on her right was laughing really hard, she only saw Callie's eyes. Pools of deep brown, as soulful as ever, but they contained a hint of something Arizona couldn't label. All she wanted was to see them darken with desire or shine with love but every time she looked at them the last days, they'd seem dull to her.

When her classmates finally got back to their own businesses, she inched closer to Addison. "The sex is not bad. It's... good."

"Just good?", she teased.

"Amazing. Perfect. Awesome. Best thing in the world, in the whole universe! So, no, not bad at all. And before you ask, yes, I know she thinks the same way. She-" Trailing off as she thought about their nights together on the first weekend when Callie had gotten rid of the sling, she blushed. Because while Callie still wasn't allowed to strain her shoulder that much, she could finally move without pain shooting through the left side of her upper body and she didn't hold back anymore. No, she had let go when Arizona's finger was inside her and God, had the blonde loved to hear her moan and see the Latina writhing like that.

"Oh, that good", Addison grinned even bigger.

"Yes", she breathed out.

"Have you tried talking to her?"

"What? Oh my God, Addison. That's such a good idea!", the blonde said sarcastically. "Of course I tried that. She just shut down, leaving me with nothing than a few hums and groans. It's frustrating!"

Looking over to the brunette, she saw her leaning over to the blonde sitting next to her, and she could hear some of the technical terms coming out of her mouth, so she was obviously explaining something. Not that it would matter, because Sadie was even more lost than the worst lost case when it came to biology. Even Mr. Colm suggested she should change class, but that girl was not only a lost case, but also a very stubborn one. "Think she's..." Not even finishing the word, she just nodded over to Callie.

Arizona knew what Addison had in mind but she shook her head again. "No. Callie is the most honest and loyal person walking on earth. She wouldn't do anything. She loves me. I don't know what's wrong, but it's nothing like that." Letting out a breath, the blonde grabbed one of the petry dishes and switched on the light of the microscope. "Let's start. I really need to think of something else."

"Oh yeah. What's better to take your mind away from everything than germs..."

"Right!", Arizona exclaimed and started to laugh at the face Addison was making, again.

XXX

Standing in her own room later that day, shirt in one hand, Callie eyed her almost utterly bare upper body in the mirror while turning on the balls of her feet from left to right and back again. She wasn't sure if others had noticed, but she knew and because she knew, she could see it. And she didn't like it. Her body had changed. Six weeks of not only not practicing, but of no sports at all had made her body change. She gained weight. She'd never been one of those skinny size-zero kinda girls. But now she actually gained more weight. Maybe not enough for people to see, but definitely enough for the scales to show and for her to see and feel it. And if she could feel it, Arizona could feel it too and she didn't want that. She loved the blonde, but right now, she didn't want her to be close. If everything went smoothly, she could go back to running next week and start practicing at least once or twice a week the week after. Her physical therapist told her she should ease back into her sports routine which was playing volleyball pretty much every day. So one or two times a week would be a good start, then starting to go back every second day, before she'd carry it too far. But running, he'd said, she could do that as much as she wanted to and then she'd lose the extra pounds again.

Taking her eyes off her reflection, she checked the time only to see that Arizona should be there any minute to pick her up for PT. Well, her and Dory would come and pick her up. Of course, Arizona had gotten the car she wanted. A blue Ford Fusion – which the blonde didn't care about the slightest. It had for wheels, five seats, a trunk and she said it was nice to handle. And of course, it had the color. As much as Callie had try to tell her that the color didn't matter, Arizona wasn't getting any of it. And then Callie had seen a really nice car, Volkswagen, forest green and though it was a bit more expensive, their parents would have been okay with it and bought it. But her girlfriend had kept telling her, that there was no name to go with that car, because apparently, there wasn't a cool Disney character to name the car after. She'd argued that the chameleon in Tangled was indeed green, but it was not good enough for the blonde. So, in the end, she got the blue car named Dory and Arizona was happy. And most of the time, it was all the Latina wanted, so she was okay with Dory, but she would never call their car by its name in public. Arizona did though, much to Callie's embarrassment.

"Hey Cal-"

"OUT!", she shouted, kicking and holding the door shut with her foot as soon as she noticed someone was going to walk in.

"What the-?!", came from the other side of the door, accompanied with a loud bang. Great. Arizona was early or she was running late. Either way, she just slammed the door into the blonde's face. "Would you please tell me what the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Nothing!", she yelled back, pulling her shirt over in a rush. She didn't want Arizona to see her like this. Once she was fully clothed, she opened the door and tried to smile as if nothing had happened, not looking at Arizona as the blonde stomped in.

"What was that?"

"I was naked." Yeah sure, as if that would work.

"So? It's not like I haven't seen you naked before."

"I'm almost ready. I just need my sweats and then I am good to go", the Latina tried to change the topic, still avoiding eye contact with the blonde.

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah. You know how much I hate being late."

"Well it's a good thing Susan just told me that we're not running late because your PT called and canceled last minute 'cause of a family emergency", Arizona told her.

"Oh... okay. So uhm, what are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? Excuse me, but last time I checked I was your girlfriend and as long as you don't tell me I am not your girlfriend anymore, I am allowed to be here." Yep, she was pissed, because Callie was acting irrational.

"'Course you're my girlfriend, Arizona. What are you talking about?"

"Your behavior that's what I am talking about. You're acting weird and off for days and I don't know what's going on. If I did something wrong then please tell me so I can make it right. I am not a mind reader, I can't know what you're thinking. The only thing I know is that you're distant. You're not letting me in, literally", she said and pointed at the door with her thumb. "You ran away from me this morning and when I dropped you off after school, you said 'see ya later' and didn't kiss me. This is not you. This is not us!" She sounded angrier than she really was. She was just so desperate to know what was going on and Callie kept it all to herself.

"I-I", she wanted to say that she was sorry. And she really was sorry. But she also didn't want Arizona to see her like this.

"No. Don't say you're sorry. Tell me what's wrong and then you can be sorry. You don't get away with just saying sorry this time, Calliope." Because sorry was so easy said and Callie had used it a little too often the last week.

She had hope. As long as Arizona kept calling her Calliope, everything would be fine. Now, she only needed to give her an answer that would please the blonde enough to let it go.

"Don't look for a way out and don't give me lies. I want to know the truth. I think after being sent home last weekend and getting a door shut in my face today, I deserve the truth." Walking over to the Latina's bed she sat down on it and waited. A minute passed by, then two, then another five minutes and when ten minutes were over and Callie still hadn't said a word, she stood back up again. She thought about leaving. And she would have left, had she not seen the hurt on Callie's face when she'd gotten off the bed. "What is wrong?" Trailing her hands over the brunette's stomach, she felt her flinch and freeze again, holding her breath just like she'd done this morning. She let her fingers move under Callie's shirt and just when the tips were about to ghost over the soft skin, the Latina clasped her wrists with both hands.

"Don't touch me, please." And right there Arizona noticed something else in her girlfriend's voice. Fear.

"Why?", she simply asked.

"Because-" Callie started, but she didn't finish her sentence.

"Because of what, Callie?" That seemed to do the trick, because she simply never called her that. Brown eyes met blue for the first time since Arizona came here, maybe even for the first time today, the blonde wasn't so sure about that. What she knew though, was, that Callie's eyes were still the same amazing dark shade of brown she fell in love with years ago. "Tell me", she urged again.

"I feel ugly", the brunette said, her eyes lowering in defeat.

Arizona eyes shot open in disbelief when she asked, "Can you say that again?"

"I f-feel ug-ly", she stammered, already on the verge of tears because the blonde was so close and all she really wanted to was to kiss her and just be normal again. But she was afraid Arizona would not like what she would feel. Because Arizona hadn't changed. Because her girlfriend was still the same she was six weeks ago. Small waist, slender long legs and a perfect ass. In Callie's eyes though, she had changed a lot.

"Baby..." Wriggling her hands free, she cupped both the brunette's cheeks and pressed a firm, yet soft kiss on those full lips before her. One hand moving from a tan cheek into beautiful dark tresses to hold the Latina in place as she deepened the kiss. Running her tongue along her girlfriend's bottom lip, nibbling on it slightly when she didn't obey directly. When Callie finally gave in and granted the blonde access, Arizona wasn't able to hold back the soft moan when tongues met and mingled in a slow dance. She felt two hands tangling in her hair, one of them tightening to a fist now and then. But the moment she wanted to deepen the kiss even more and pour everything she felt into it, she tasted something salty on her lips.

Letting go of the Latina's lips and opening her eyes, she saw the tears. Instinctively wiping them away with her thumbs, she looked straight into her girlfriend's brown orbs. "One, you are not ugly, Calliope. And two, why would you even feel like that? Do you not see all those heads turning around when you walk down the hall? You are so gorgeous, so stunning, so breathtaking."

"But I ga-ga-gained weight. I am f-f-fat", she sobbed. She didn't even know where all of this came from. Sure, she didn't feel comfortable in her own skin. And she knew she didn't treat Arizona right the last days. But they were no reasons to cry, were they?

"You did? What? One pound?"

Avoiding to look into the blue eyes, that bored themselves right into her soul, she admitted, "More like eight."

Arizona didn't know what to say to that. She hadn't noticed. To her, Callie was still as jaw-dropping and heart-stopping as ever.

"You see it too, right?"

"No! And I do have to say that I am a little... speechless? Because I really don't see it."

"But you can feel it."

"Where?"

"Here", Callie answered, holding her own hand over her stomach. "I don't like it."

When Arizona tried to touch her again and the brunette brushed her hand away – again a little too harsh – she tried to focus on her girlfriend's eyes. Because Callie could tell an entire monologue with her eyes only. "Will you listen to me?" Getting a nod in response, she moved her hands to the Latina's belly again, this time determined to not letting Callie stop her. And to her surprise, she didn't even try, so she pushed the hem of her shirt up and sighed as soon as her palm came in contact with warm skin. "You are ___not_ ugly. You are ___not_ fat. You are everything that is good, amazing in this world. So, you've maybe gained some weight, which I assume is normal. You're not out of shape by any means, your body is just not used to no sport. But still, it is perfect. I don't know what's wrong with your eyes, but I don't see it. And I don't feel it either. And even if I would, do you really think I would care?"

Looking back at Arizona, one half of her wanted to nod, but the other half knew that the blonde wouldn't mind, so she shook her head.

"Right. I wouldn't. Because I love you. All of you. Every pound, every ounce. I love that you do have hips. I love every part of your body, even the parts you don't like", she said with a smile and her usual warm voice, the love pretty evident in her words. "But I am in love with your heart and soul, with your character. Your super hot body is just the cherry on top for me."

"You don't see it?", Callie asked, the insecurities still getting the better of her.

"Is that all you got from what I just told you?"

"No", she laughed and sobbed at the same time, making her cough.

"Good. But really, I don't see nor do I feel it."

"Okay", the Latina breathed out.

"So, does that mean I can stay now?"

"Yeah", she laughed. "I don't have any plans."

"Oh, really? 'Cause I think you do."

Raising one of her eyebrows, she asked "I do?"

"Yep. Because you, Missy, you have some serious catching up to do. You missed a lot of chances to kiss me properly and I reckon you do this before I leave tonight."

"As you wish", Callie smiled and pulled her girlfriend in. Keeping her close with her arms around the slim waist of the blonde, she connected their lips in a soft kiss. Soon though, the kiss turned more needy and both girls stumbled over to the Latina's bed only to fall onto it in a heap of limps, moans and groans as their bodies ground against each other's.


	27. I just mhmm Part 7

**AN: A little longer because there was a longer pause. Sorry for that. **

**AN2: Also, sorry for the errors in TIAM 2... I have honestly no idea what happened but I went back in and I hopefully fixed everything. **

* * *

She loved her girlfriend. She really did. But right now, she might as well not love her and kill her instead. That is, if Arizona didn't manage to do that before she got the chance to exit the car. Because unlike herself and definitely unlike everything the blonde told her parents every time she left the house, she drove way too fast. Simply because she reveled in the feeling of adrenaline rushing through her body and because she was just that much of a daredevil. Because the petite blonde loved the speed. And though the brunette really trusted Arizona with her life, she couldn't find it in herself to have just as much faith in other drivers.

"Arizona, would you please slow down? I just got cleared for volleyball and out of PT not even a week ago. I don't want to go there again anytime soon."

Taking her eyes for about five seconds off the street, she winked at her girlfriend and said, "Don't worry baby, I have everything under control."

The Latina took a deep breath. She didn't know whether to close her eyes and rather not see the moment they crashed into something, or stare right ahead. Driving in a car wasn't that much of a problem for her, despite the accident she was in when she was little. But driving off limits was something she could not – and probably would never – approve. "SWEET mother of everything that is good!", she shrieked as a car slid in right before them, driving not as fast as they were.

"No! Turn left, turtle!" Slender fingers had a firm grip around the steering wheel.

"Arizona. You can't keep calling people 'turtle' just because they are staying within the speeding limits!"

"Yes I can. They turtely…", stopping for a second to see if Callie had heard the little Freudian slip, she added, "are turtles!"

"Turtely?", the Latina asked and raised one of her eyebrows. "Did you just say turtely?"

A grumbled 'no' left pink lips and Arizona tried not to laugh. It was a slip. A funny one, but right now she didn't want to be funny. She wanted the car driving in front of theirs to go away.

"Oh yes you did. You so did! Now, would you please slow down and be a turtely turtle yourself?", the brunette teased and saw the glare Arizona shot at her. "Why are you driving so fast anyway? We're ten minutes late, okay, but it's not like Addie's house will just magically disappear if we don't make it there in time." And as far as she was concerned, nobody ever died because a movie night started a little later than planned.

"Would you please just move your ass out of my way?!", she yelled though there was clearly no way the driver could hear her.

Callie tried to stay calm. Placing her hand on her girlfriend's thigh and rubbing soft circles on it with her left thumb, she tried to reason with the blonde, "I mean it, Arizona. I don't like that you're driving so fast all the time. I know you really like it, but I don't. And even if I wouldn't be in this car with you, I wouldn't like it. Because you're risking your life…and not only yours."

"Well maybe it does", Arizona countered. "You don't know their house 'cause we've never been at Addison's before."

"Arizona. Please."

"Fine", she huffed and slowed down, still not really driving within the limits. Looking over to her girlfriend again, she saw the seriousness evident in the beautiful face and without noticing she slowed down the rest. A whispered, "I am sorry" came out of her mouth.

"I'll text Addie we're a little late, okay?"

"I don't like being late", she admitted. That was something that came definitely with having a Colonel as a father. Arizona was never late. She didn't oversleep on school days or any other day she had to be somewhere important. Aside from the one time when they were supposed to pick up Timmy for his soccer match, but even then they'd made it in time without breaking any law.

"I know you do. But we're talking about Addie here…the only girl that manages to get up at six in the morning and still be late for school because she 'just didn't want to get out of the shower'", she quoted the redhead.

A bubbly laughter filled the inside of Dori just when the blonde stopped at a red light. "That was a hilarious day! Miss Nichols was so close to struggle her when she not so quietly walked in – or rather crashed through the door, twenty minutes late. I will never forget how red Miss Nichols' face was after Addison told her that her shower had simply been too good to leave."

"She's…"

"Special, yeah. But she's also nice. And a good friend", Arizona answered.

"True", the Latina replied and drummed with her fingertips on the blonde's thigh. "You know, if we don't get home too late, we could…uhm…you know...?", she trailed off.

Smirking at her girlfriend's attempts, she leaned over and kissed her cheek before she exclaimed with a wide grin, "We turtely can!"

"You turtely are a goof! That's what you are", Callie laughed.

And though Arizona thought the brunette was laughing at her, she didn't mind this time. Because the Latina's laugh was just music to her ears and it was that kind of music, she would never get tired of hearing. It was a shame that Callie didn't sing that much or even chose musical class at school, because she actually could sing. But she kept saying, it just wasn't her thing. She was too afraid of being on a stage and loved volleyball too much to give up even one hour of practicing. "Do you think, Addison will make me watch one of her scary movies again? Michael Myers scared the shit out of me."

"But it had a really nice side effect", the Latina grinned.

"You're kidding me, right? What could possibly be nice or a horror movie? The only thing I can think of were the ending credits, because by then, I made it through the movie alive!"

"You scooted closer and closer to me every time he was on screen", the Latina teased.

"And Addison made fun of me for it. I don't want to see him again. Or any other type of psycho killer 'friends', for this matter. He's too creepy with his 'I walk like a snail but I get you anyways' kinda thing", the blonde whined.

"You're too cute", she smiled and added in a whisper very close to the blonde's ear. "And I love having you close to me."

Settling back into driving once the light switched to green, Arizona bit her bottom lip to stay focused. One little word – or even worse, one quiet moan – of her girlfriend was enough to work her up beyond control; and thinking about what Callie could do to her while driving a car just didn't go well together. And she seriously didn't want to end up in the trunk of another car. Yikes!

"Maybe I spoiled you too much", the brunette mused when Arizona didn't say a word. "Because I let you decide most of the time."

"No", the blue eyed girl said, shaking her head vehemently. "You just love me too much to make me watch scary stuff."

"Again, true."

"I love you too", the blonde grinned. There was nothing else needed to be said in that moment. Arizona was content with driving and the little contact with the Latina's hand still placed on her thigh. And the prospect of anything that could happen once they got home was even better. Maybe they could rush through the movies. Skip some scenes here and there..? Everything to get home as fast as possible.

xxx

Turning into the drive way of the address Addison had given them yesterday morning in school, Arizona's eyes went wide. That was no house, that was a mansion, a manor or whatever you wanted to call it. "Holy...", she gulped and stopped the car next to the redhead's. "Did Addison tell you that she was living in a freaking palace?"

"No", Callie answered and shook her head. "But I didn't ask if she lived in one, either."

"Yeah, because seriously, why would you do that? I expected a normal house not this. 'Cause this is...huge!"

"Not huge...just bigger than our homes", the Latina stated absentmindedly, her brain already lost in the memories flooding through it.

"And probably bigger than any home I'll ever have. Not that I need a castle of my own, too much to clean anyways, but-" Looking over to her girlfriend, she noticed the tears that were about to spill from chocolate brown eyes. "Hey, are you okay?"

"I-", she choked. Never in a million years had she thought something like this would happen. Trying again to say something, but not being able to say even one word, she closed her eyes and willed the tears to go away.

"Hey, sshh", the blonde whispered and kissed the drops of salty tears away. "Are you hurt somewhere?"

"No", Callie rasped. Her mind was playing tricks with her. Because she could have sworn, that -just for a second – she'd seen her parents and sister coming down the steps. Deep down she knew it was impossible. But this house and the drive way, it reminded her of the life she had before the accident. And as if on cue, those pictures came back. Suddenly she was six years old again, lying on the street. She was where, eleven years ago, her sister didn't wake up after the accident and her mother died before the paramedics found them and her father barely made it to the hospital. And for a second she didn't no what was real, until she finally turnend to face Arizona, seeing the worry in her eyes. "I'm okay. Just...I grew up in a house like this. Before, I mean...I know I was young, but we lived in a house just as big and it just brought back some memories."

"Memories of...", she trailed off. Calliope had told her about the accident, at least as much as she remembered.

She nodded with a light smile and blinked away the last tears. "I'm good, I promised. I just, I'm good."

"You sure?"

"Yeah." Unbuckling her seat belt and leaning over to be close to the shell of Arizona's ear, she whispered, "We should get out of the car. There's someone already tapping a whole into the ground with her impatience."

Blonde curls flew through the air as Arizona's head spun around and she too noticed the redhead waiting for them, arms crossed over her chest. "We better hurry before she ruins the ground", the blonde laughed and got out of the car. Callie followed suite.

"Finally. Ten minutes late my ass!"

"You're one to talk", the Latina grinned and hugged her friend.

"I am never late for a movies night!"

"Only two out of three...never...sure", Arizona teased and gave her friend a hug as well. "But I guess I can now see the reason. I would be late too, because I'd get lost in this place. How long do you need to make it to the front door? Five minutes?"

"Nah", the redhead answers. "Bizzy answers the door."

"Because if you would do that, everybody would have to wait at least ten minutes because you'd stop at every mirror, checking your reflection?", the brunette joked, feeling her girlfriend's body next to her erupting in not so subtle giggles.

"Oh hah hah. You think you're funny, right?"

"Why, you disagree?", the blonde asked, faking to be hurt by Addie's words. "I think we're pretty funny. The funniest and best to be around, actually. We're awesome. Don't you think, Calliope?

Nodding, the Latina held one hand over her mouth to hide the grin.

"You", she pointed at Arizona, "are too bubbly and maybe I should scare you away with every scary movie I own. And you", her finger moved and collided with Callie's chest, "do you want that sling back?"

"I think we upset the bear", Arizona whispered to her girlfriend as four arms shot up in defense. Not only half a minute later though, the three burst out into a fit of laughter as Addison ushered them through the door.

"I think you should tame the bear with a good movie."

"No!", Arizona objected. "You two can watch Freddie and Michael and all their little scary friends when I am not here."

"Chicken", the redhead teased.

"Yes, I am. And I am very much okay with being a chicken as long as that means I can sleep without nightmares. So, please, can we watch something different tonight?", she replied, her big blue poppy dog eyes pleading with the brunette, 'cause she knew Addison wouldn't fall for it, but Callie would. She always did.

"Addison..."

"Wha-? Why? You too?"

"She doesn't like them. They freak her out", Callie answered, her arm snaking around the blonde's waist, pulling her close.

"It's a movie."

"Addison."

"Fine!", the redhead huffed. "But we're not going to watch Disney either. This house is a Disney free zone, got it?" And with that, she stormed upstairs, probably searching for any blood-free movie.

"Thank you", Arizona smiled and nuzzled her nose against her girlfriend's neck. The scent of the Latina's shampoo filled her nostrils, eliciting a happy sigh.

"You are very, _very_ welcome."

xxx

„Shit, Callie", Arizona cursed, unintentionally using the short version of her girlfriend's name as she was pushed against the wall in the hallway of her home. The thigh between her legs had just enough pressure to set her body on fire but not enough to finish the job, though she felt like she'd been on the edge ever since they left Addison a good half hour ago. Because Callie's hand had been tracing circles on her right leg the whole ride home and sometimes, a finger had inched so close to where she wanted it to be. She felt hands moving up to cup her breasts and a tongue invaded her mouth, taking her breath away in a hungry dance. But somewhere in the farthest corner of her brain, something woke her up from her daze to remind her. "Par-"

"I don't care", the Latina growled, pushing her leg a little higher. Usually, she knew better than to attack her girlfriend like that in the Robbins' house, but Arizona had teased her all evening. And now she just prayed to the Gods above that the blonde's parents were either not at home at all or already upstairs in bed.

Her head hit the wall with a thud, her fingernails dug into tan skin beneath the brunette's clothes as she closed her eyes and tried to control her body from crashing over the peak. "Call-"

"You think you're so sneaky, don't you?", Callie asked, devouring the blonde's neck with light bites and licks. "You felt me up with our friend sitting on the other couch." Fingers began to roll an erect nipple between them as she spoke. "You know how observing Addie can be."

The moans and groans that left pink lips increased in volume and pace. If Callie would keep going like that, there was no way she would make it upstairs before she would be done. And although all those amazing things her girlfriend was doing to her body felt heavenly awesome, she really didn't want to get caught by her mother – or worse – her father. "Up", she managed to breathe out.

"Up? You mean…up like this?", Callie asked, with her most innocent voice? while she pushed her thigh once more a little rougher against the blonde's center.

"NO!", Arizona yelped in surprise, the seam of her pants creating a nice friction between the Latina's thigh and her center. "Up-up-upstairs."

"Upstairs?"

"Yes. Please. Upstairs. Ma-Ma-My room." Had anyone ever told her she would be struggling to talk at any point in her life, she would have laughed at them. But everything seemed to be possible when Callie was around. The brunette could make a stuttering mess of her in no time.

Raising one eyebrow in question, Callie mustered the flushed face of her girlfriend. Pink lips were parted, her chest rising in ragged breaths and suddenly, she noticed the fingernails that were too close to leave crimson shaped marks.

Blue eyes fluttered open and blinked a couple of times. Her surroundings seemed to be in a blur, the blood pumping so fast through her veins, she felt dizzy. Feeling her girlfriend's thigh retreating, she inhaled deeply, finally being able to fill her lungs with as much air as they were craving for. "You can wipe that smug grin off your face, Calliope."

"It's not a smug grin", the brunette replied with a smirk. "It's a horny one."

Groaning once again, she grabbed her girlfriend's hand to pull her upstairs. Both noticed the TV still flickering in the living room as they passed the entrance to it, but her father's favorite armchair was empty, so chances were that her mom had fallen asleep in front of the TV again. And she really hoped that was the case, because she honestly didn't want to face her mom tomorrow – or the next week…month – if she'd heard them. That would be too embarrassing to even think of.

Willingly following the blonde into her room, she managed to close the door quietly before she felt the petite girl's body pressed into her from behind. One delicate hand stroke her curls out of her neck and a few seconds later, she felt cool air breathed against a hot trail the blonde had left on her skin. Moaning, she let herself be guided towards the bed and even let Arizona turn her around and push her onto it and top her. Her hands immediately flew to the hem of the blue eyed girl's shirt and shoved it up a few inches. Fingertips came in contact with the softest skin she'd ever touched– and if she would play her cards right, would ever touch – and a sigh left her lips. The sight before her was perfection; from the blonde straddling her hips, to the still fast rising chest and the golden curls that framed Arizona's beautiful face. Despite the moonlight flooding the room, her girlfriend's eyes were a darker shade of blue.

Tugging the offending fabric off the blonde's body and instantly unclasping the white bra to free perky breasts, she swallowed. To her, Arizona got more beautiful and sexy with every time she got to look at her.

"You too", the other teenager growled, pulling at Callie's shirt.

The Latina had a different thing in mind, though and with a well-practiced move, she flipped them over so that she was now the one on top. Smiling at her success, she shed off her clothes as well, making quick work of her pants too before she did the same to Arizona's, not wanting to wait to get both of them naked.

"Calliope, don't make me wait", the blonde pleaded. She needed Callie to touch her. Anywhere. Everywhere. She didn't even care at this moment as long as the brunette would finally touch her.

She bit her bottom lip when her hand ran up a pale thigh, goose bumps erupting under her palm. All nerves that were there the first times she was touching Arizona like this were gone now, pushed away from the anticipation and the knowing of what was to come. Nails and tips caressed the silky skin up to her knee, waiting a moment before she pushed slender legs apart to make room for herself.

Feeling the Latina shift between her legs, she felt kisses on her left knee while her right leg's skin was still under the ministrations of light patterns and circles, drawing a hand excruciatingly close to where she wanted to feel it. "Calliope", she whispered and bucked her hips, urging her girlfriend to give her more and at the same time, she pressed her head into the pillow. Biting into the material as full lips moved higher and higher up the inside of her thigh, she held her breath. She felt exposed and safe at the same time, but if she would want to last a little longer – and she wanted to – she needed the brunette to stop teasing her.

The muscles clenched and twitched under her lips as she kissed her way up Arizona's leg. She smiled into the kisses, loving the way the blonde writhed beneath her. What had started out as a rush in the hallway was now softer, slower, just how she liked it – for now. "You know", she husked, "you've been pretty _pretty_ mean." Licking over the apex or the blonde's thigh, she watched her face contorting in concentration. "You know how sensitive my body is when it comes to your touches."

"Mhmm."

"It was not nice."

"Mhmm", was all Arizona could moan out again as she felt a tongue licking up a path from her hipbone to her breast.

"'Cause I wanted you so much…and we couldn't."

"Call-" Her groan was cut off as a hot mouth closed around a hardened nub. Her fingers shot into dark brown tresses, needing something to hold on to.

"Because we had to get home first", she whispered and started to play with the blonde's breast with her tongue. "And I don't think you're sorry for working me up so much."

Eagerly shaking her head, Arizona squeezed her eyes shut to keep herself from exploding. Callie hadn't even touched her yet and she was already so close.

Shifting once again and moving the rest of the way up to be at eyelevel with the other, Callie's hand trailed down a flat stomach until she was where she wanted to be.

"Plea-" And suddenly, her back arched off the bed as she felt one finger circling her clit. "Yes!"

Hearing her girlfriend's exclaiming outburst, the Latina moaned into the blonde's neck. "You're so hot", she whispered, her tongue peeking out to wet the shell of Arizona's ear. "I love you." And with that, she abandoned the clit and moved her finger to the girl's entrance, slowly pushing inside.

"Fuck!"

Arizona never swore like that before. And it took every ounce of strength for Callie to not tumble over the edge just from hearing words like that out of that beautiful mouth. "God, say that again."

Trying to catch her breath, she took a moment to clear her mind and comprehend the brunette's words, but when she felt that finger going deeper, that particular word left her mouth again without her noticing.

"Arizona", Callie groaned. She needed this just as much as her girlfriend. She needed to be close to her. She needed her fingers, her hand, just something, anything. And she was so ready for it. "Can you…uhm", she asked, stopping her movements for a minute or so to get the blonde's attention.

"What?", she panted. "Why'd you stop?"

"I need you…too."

With a soft smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, she answered "Oh", and let her hand wander down the Latina's body. Cupping her mound she moaned again at the wetness she found there. "Jesus!"

"Uh huh…"

Pulling her girlfriend close as she flung an arm around her neck, she crashed their lips together and moaned at the taste. "I love you", she breathed against full lips and simultaneously entered her girlfriend with one finger.

Two mouths were parted at the welcome intrusion and moans filled the room more and more and became higher pitched.

"I'm so close", Arizona groaned.

"Me too", Callie coaxed out in a mixture of a whimper and a moan. She really tried to stay focused on the task at hand but she struggled. It was not so easy with the blonde's finger pushing into her over and over again. Needing to feel a different kind of connection, she locked the fingers of her free hand with the blonde's hand that had been clenching the bed sheets. She felt the now familiar tingling in her lower abdomen, the bliss, the endorphins taking over her whole body and with a soft cry, she came and almost collapsed on top of her girlfriend.

"Oh God!", Arizona moaned as she felt Callie inner walls contracting around her finger and it pushed her over the edge as well, leaving her throat dry, her toes curling and her heart pounding rapidly in her chest.

"I love you", the Latina mumbled into golden tresses.

"I…you…too", she stammered, still trying to catch her breath.

Rolling off to lay next to Arizona, Callie smiled. "You're right. We're definitely amazing."

Turning her head to the side to look at the brunette, she smiled. Lying there with her eyes closed and her breath still going fast was her epitome of beauty. "Oh, we're more than amazing. We're amazingly awesome. No, scratch that. _We _are_ turtely _awesome_!"_

xxx

She knew it wouldn't be easy, but when she looked over to check the time and the digital numbers told her that it was already 3AM, she inhaled deeply. Usually, she had no problem to fall asleep, especially after their nightly activities. And although she was beyond tired, tonight was different. She was worried. Maybe she was even worried too much, but if those few minutes at Addison's house yesterday hadn't already been enough for her to be alert, then it definitely was the moment when Callie had gotten up on her knees to pick up Mrs. Turtles from her place on the shelf over the blonde's bed. That was the second she knew her girlfriend feared as well that the nightmares would come back. So, here she was, her front pressed against the Latina's back, her arm holding her tight. And although Callie was sound asleep, she wasn't. Because she wanted to be awake in case the brunette woke up and needed her. You could never know when or if one of those bad dreams showed up.

Slowly propping herself up on her left elbow when the Latina stirred next to her, she brushed a few strands of dark hair behind her ear and leaned over to see Callie's face. It looked as beautiful and peaceful as ever. Sighing in relief, she laid back down. Her head resting on the pillow again and her nose almost touching her girlfriend's neck. Maybe Mrs. Turtles was turtely enough for tonight .

Closing her eyes, Arizona did the math in her head how many hours of sleep she had left before she let the fatigue take over her body. The steady breathing of the girl next to her was her lullaby and she was almost completely dead to the world, as her foggy brain noticed a whimper. But she didn't get it right away. Maybe her mind was playing tricks on her and it was just an imagination. But when that sound reached her ear again, her senses kicked in. The arm that was still draped over the brunette's side tightened its hold automatically, feeling the body going stiff. "Calliope", she whispered, but got no response other than more whimpers.

The blonde saw the tight grip Callie had on the stuffed turtle. Moving her arm to place her own hand on top, she felt the Latina's fingers digging into the fluffy material so hard that her knuckles were very prominent in her palm. The body beside her was so tense and the whimpers and cries got louder with every passing minute. She just held on. Even as Callie's legs started kicking, she held her close, because there was no way she'd let go. "I am here", she soothed in the brunette's ear and kissed the shell. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise."

"Aria, Mamá", she mumbled.

Yeah, that's exactly what Arizona thought her dream would be about. Damn house. Damn big stupid house of Addison's family. Though it was definitely not Addison's fault, or her family's for that matter, she hated to see her love like that. It had already been close to the day that would mark yet another year that went by since the accident anyways. But that was still two weeks away, so putting Callie through it so soon was nothing she wanted her girlfriend to experience. "Ooowwww", she hissed when the brunette's feet collided with her shins. "You can kick and toss as much as you want, I am not letting go", she promised, once again tightening the solid hold of her arm.

"Papá, no."

It broke her heart. It always did. When she was little, she thought she was not able to be there for Callie because she was in fact too little, too small. But even now that she was older, she couldn't do that much. The blonde knew now that it was because Callie was dreaming and that it had nothing to do with how old or tall she was. And she knew that once her girlfriend was awake, she would need her.

"Papá?"

"Calliope...you have to wake up, please." She slightly shook the brunette's shoulder but had to see that it wasn't enough when she got no response. Covering Callie's neck with soft kisses when she tried to shake her again to wake her up.

The body beside her went rigid one more time for a good couple of minutes, before she felt movements in her arms. The bed shifted and a few seconds later, the Latina's face was right in front of her and Mrs. Turtles was trapped and squashed between their bodies.

"You're awake", Callie breathed.

"Mhmm, couldn't sleep", Arizona answered. She was surprised that the brunette was awake so suddenly. There had been no screaming. Sure, she'd heard the whimpers and cries as well as the mumbling, but there was no jolting awake with a sudden scream.

"Did I wake you?"

"No, love." Watching as the eyes of her girlfriend averted to the side to not look at her, she combed her finger through the thick brown tresses and kissed the Latina's forehead. "I was still awake."

"You didn't sleep?"

"Mhmm mhmm", she answered, shaking her head.

"What time is it?"

Checking the time and answering that it was 3.30 in the morning, she turned her gaze back to Callie. "Tell me about it?"

She bit her bottom lip. She rarely talked about her dreams. She never talked about them with Arizona. They were just dreams. Sure, they were haunting her for years now and they always came back, no matter how exhausted she was before she went to bed when that time of the year came around. But in the morning, they were still just nightmares. Nothing big.

"Please?"

"I saw them", Callie answered honestly.

"Your family?"

She nodded. "I saw them yesterday when we arrived at Addie's home. They just showed up out of nowhere. And that's what they did in my dream too, I think."

"You think?", Arizona asked quietly.

"Yeah. I don't remember all of it. They were just there."

Still playing with her girlfriend's hair and studying her beautiful face, she asked, "Where were you?"

"Coming home."

"Is that what you always do? Coming home?", she wanted to know after a moment of hesitation.

"No", Callie shook her head. "Most of the times, I am...there. On the street. Sometimes I am in the hospital. Those dreams are better, actually, 'cause you're there too." A soft smile tugged on her lips. "You make everything better."

Feeling the blush creeping up onto her cheeks, the blonde closed her eyes as she relished in the warmth spreading through her whole body. Her fingers stopped midway through brown hair as she leaned closer. "You make everything better, too", she whispered against her girlfriend's lips before she kissed her softly. "What happened after that?"

"Uhm...we got in the car..."

"Oh no", she breathed out, her hand instantly yet subconsciously clenching in silk tresses. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know what happened next. Callie's breathing actually told her already that it was neither sunshine nor rainbow. But a part of her desperately wanted to know albeit she knew it would probably be devastating.

"And then I was on the street again. Mamá was dead, so was Aria. And Aria was still in that little body and I was me. Seventeen years old me, not five years old me. I was there and she was dead. And my father, he was breathing but there was so much blood. So much, Arizona." Tears ran down her cheeks and she hated herself for crying again. She felt too vulnerable every time she cried and she did not want to be vulnerable. What she wanted was to be strong to protect Arizona. So she wiped away every drop as soon as it ran over her skin.

"Hey, don't. It's okay to cry", the blonde tried to calm her.

"It's just a dream", Callie stated.

"It's not. It's a memory and it's a sad one, so it's okay to cry."

"But I don't want to."

Smiling, she kissed the Latina's nose, catching a salty tear with her lips. "I know. But you can. It's not bad."

"Thanks for holding me", Callie changed the topic, not wanting to talk about her dreams or family anymore.

"Any time," the blonde replied. She knew her girlfriend long enough to know her intentions, but she let it slide this time. Stifling a yawn, she rubbed her eyes. God, she was so tired.

"Want to get some sleep?"

"Think you're okay now?"

"Can I stay in your arms?"

"Of course."

"Then I'll be okay." She snuggled closer to Arizona, intertwined their legs and curled her arm around her bare waist. "You cold?"

"No, why? Are you?"

"No", she answered with a smile. "But we're still naked and you freeze easily."

"I _don't_ freeze easily," she countered, but then she admitted, "Okay, maybe I do. But you're warm and I am perfect."

With their heads mere inches apart, noses touching, they fell back to sleep almost as soon as their eyes closed. Callie knew she was safe now and Arizona was just glad she'd stayed up to be there.

xxx

Waking up because she felt the bed shifting, she sleepily blinked into the sunlight streaming into her room. Arizona knew without a doubt, that it was already Sunday morning. She didn't need to know the time because one, no matter how early or late it was, she definitely hadn't gotten enough sleep last night and two, Callie never got out of bed before sunrise. And never actually meant never, because the Latina could sleep like a rock and only the sun and her kisses could wake her. Or her nightmares that had cost the blonde a lot of hours last night. Still, for her girlfriend, she'd take a sleepless night anytime if that meant Calliope wouldn't wake up alone after a nightmare.

She stretched her sore limps and groaned at the stiffness. Athletic muscles her ass.

"Why are you awake already?", came a soft voice from her left.

"Mhmm...good morning", she said instead of answering her girlfriend's question. "Did you sleep okay? Any more nightmares?"

"No. Your embrace is too heavenly to sleep in", Callie smiled and leaned over to kiss Arizona. And though not intended, the soft kiss turned needy and hungry pretty fast, the blonde sighing into the Latina's mouth as she was pulled on top of her. With their bodies flush together, no layers of clothing or sheets between them, their hormones shot through the roof within very few seconds, both moaning at the feeling. The brunette's hands started roaming over her girlfriend's back, cupping one cheek of that perfect butt with her right hand and tickling Arizona's side with the other. She caught the blonde's bottom lip between her teeth and grinned at the groan that elicited from her girlfriend's mouth. Their breasts brushed against each other, leaving both girls breathless – like it always did.

"I want to feel you again...", the brunette husked, her kisses moving over to a pale neck.

"Call-"

"No. No talking. No getting up. Just kissing", Callie rushed and crashed her lips against a set of pink ones.

"Bu-"

"No", she insisted, wanting to only feel every good sensation Arizona was evoking with just her kisses and her body so close.

"Calliope, no", Arizona demanded and pushed herself off the Latina, much to her own dismay. She loved where they were heading, but she really needed to use the bathroom. Crawling out of bed, she pulled her girlfriend's shirt over her head and slipped into a clean pair of panties.

"Can I say that I loved it just a tiny bit more when you were still naked?", she pouted.

"We have to get up soon anyways", the blonde answered when she noticed the time. Tousling her hair and tying it back into a messy ponytail she added, "You know the Colonel doesn't like us to stay in bed all Sunday."

"All Sunday? It's hardly that late. Whatever you need to do, you can do that and get back to bed and we can stay here for another 30 minutes. The only condition I have is that you get naked again."

"You're wrong, Calliope. It's 8.30 and that means my father is awake for two hours already and my mom will be waiting with homemade pancakes for breakfast. And I think we should talk more about last night."

"Mhmm last night was amazing, but...oh the prospect of pancakes", Callie smiled and licked her lips.

Sitting down on the edge of her bed, she cupped the Latina's cheek. "I meant your nightmare, love."

Love. She loved that Arizona called her that. It was simple but not the usual babe. And because she didn't call her that every time, it was always special. But... "Do we really have to talk about it? What's still to talk about?"

"Yes we have to", she stated. "But first, I'll go to the bathroom, okay?"

Sighing, the brunette nodded. She knew Arizona was right. Because Arizona was right a lot of times. She just didn't know what she should tell her. There were no details she remembered, no talks in her dreams. She wished there where. Then she could have told the shrink she'd seen when she was little. But there weren't"Okay."

"Thank you", the blonde smiled and pecked Callie's lips before she finally got up and out of her room, almost crashing into her mom. "Oh, good morning."

"Good morning, Dimples. Breakfast will be waiting around nine. It was a little later last night."

And with just that innocent sentence, the girl froze on the spot. "L-l-late? H-h-h-how late?"

"Oh, I don't know, I fell asleep on the couch."

"Oh, you did? That's not good for your back, mom", she said, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"Oh Dimples, my back is fine. I may be your mother, but I am not that old", Barbara smiled and stepped closer to her daughter. "You know, my ears are fine as well."

"Oh God", Arizona groaned. It was going to be embarrassing.

"We are not stupid, Dimples. We know that you would not wait any longer than your sixteenth birthday, but maybe you should be more quiet the next time you get home. You're lucky your dad was already in bed, because if I could hear your moans in the hallway, there's no way he would have missed them." Of course they knew their daughter. They raised her, watched her become the teenager she was now. And of course they knew how much of a daredevil she could be.

"Mom!", the blonde pleaded, her cheeks felt on fire and were probably bright red. She couldn't even look at her mother, instead, she hid her face behind her hands.

Leaning closer once again, Barbara's finger touched a part of the blonde's neck as she said in a quiet voice, "And maybe you should hide that from your father."

She should curse her girlfriend for being that aggressive with her last night. But oh, she couldn't. For the love of God, there was no way she could be mad at her for everything she made her feel down there and even more so once they were behind the closed door of her bedroom. So she swallowed down the lump that was forming in her throat and choked out an excuse before she stole herself away from her mother's piercing blue eyes and slipped into the bathroom, leaning against the closed door and letting out a huff. "Damn."

Completely ignoring the main reason she got out of bed for, Arizona splashed some cold water on her face and let some of it run over her wrists, trying to get rid of the blush and to slow down the blood in her veins. Looking in the mirror, her eyes widened at the red marks on her neck. "Shit!"They would never go away or at least fade until tomorrow and she had practice tomorrow. How was she supposed to hide them?

xxx

"You are in big trouble, Calliope", she rushed into her room once she was sure that her father was downstairs and she wouldn't crash into her other parent.

"I already agreed to talking about my nightmare, Arizona", Callie wondered. She was still lying in her girlfriend's bed, hadn't even bothered to put on some clothes.

"Yes you did and we still will, but for now, can you explain them to me?", the blonde said, indicating the same parts on her neck her mother had a few minutes ago. The very part of flesh that was plastered with red marks, some more visible, some less red, but all very noticeable.

"Oh...uhm...I got carried away?", the Latina tried, showing off her best smile and her perfect white teeth to get on the blonde's good side.

"Carried away? I have marks all over the left side of my neck and not only there. Here as well!" She pulled down the neckline of the shirt and revealed even more bite marks. "Tomorrow's Monday practice and I look like someone attacked me!"

Callie just laughed. She couldn't stop it. Because, she had in fact attacked the blonde last night. The marks were not planned, though. Getting out of bed as well in all her naked glory, she stopped in front of her girlfriend, inspecting her neck with her chocolate brown orbs. "They're not so bad. They'll fade in one or two days. Until then, you can just let your hair fall down in its beautiful natural waves and nobody will see them.

"These might, but those won't", Arizona nodded down her chest. "Plus, you know I always braid my hair before I dive into the water. What were you thinking?"

"That's exactly the point. I wasn't thinking. Your skin tastes too good to stop. And it takes a lot for me to stop when you are not moaning and writhing under me. But last night was...well, you were...and I was and it was just too good", she tried to answer, but failed every time pictures of last night flashed before her eyes. "I am really sorry. And if it makes you feel better, I have those." She turned around to show Arizona first her right hip and then her left, the smile never leaving her face. "You marked me as well. They are not as strong as yours, but there might be a possibility my team will see them when I get changed later today."

"You're playing today?"

Placing her hands on each of Arizona's hipbones, the she answered, "Yeah." She actually wanted to surprise her girlfriend with it. But now it was too late for that anyways.

"But...you just got cleared for practice, isn't it a little too early for you to be back on the court?"

"Coach Ross said I didn't forget how to play", Callie said with a wink. "I'm only going to play one set though. If I do feel okay, maybe two. But I don't want to strain my luck and my shoulder."

Trailing her hands up the Latina's arms she squeezed the muscles beneath the skin. "I'm sure you'll show them what you've got." What she really wanted to say was that she was already picturing the brunette all sweaty, slamming and smashing the opponents into the ground, wearing those amazingly tight shorts. With her mouth watering at the image, she leaned in and stood up on her toes. "I can't wait to see you on the court again. I've missed that."

"You have no idea how much I've missed _being _on the court."

"Oh, believe me, I've missed seeing you more", Arizona grinned and then she connected their lips in a slow kiss, her fingers finding their way into dark hair on their own accord and her hips jerking forward for more contact.

"Girls, breakfast!", sounded Daniel Robbins' voice through the door, accompanied with two loud knocks.

"I should get dressed before I go downstairs", the Latina said as she tore her lips away from the blonde's.

"Oh you should. Because it's embarrassing enough that my mom heard us last night." Flashing her dimples, she slowly retreated towards the door.

"She wha-?" But before Callie could even finish her question, the blonde was through the door, leaving her girlfriend in the middle of her room, still naked and now with her mouth agape.


	28. I just mhmm Part 8

Stopping the car and getting out of it in front of her girlfriend's home, she was met by loud thuds coming from the back of the house. Arizona knew that could only mean one stupid thing, so she grabbed her overnight bag, locked the car and headed towards the backyard. Up until two minutes ago she was happy that she could somehow convince her mom to stay the night at Callie's after telling her about last night's nightmare. But now seeing, still not believing her eyes, the bag in her hand fell to the ground as she stared at the gorgeous – and right now also extremely irrational – Latina. Because her girlfriend stood a good 13 feet away from the wall and a ball hit the ground, then the wall and then it flew back to Callie so she could smash it again. It was crazy. "Calliope, what do you think you're, doing here?"

"What does it look like?", the brunette asked, not bothering to tear her gaze away from the ball to look at Arizona.

"It looks like you're trying to smash a hole into the exterior wall of your house", the blonde stated. Yep, Callie was hitting the ball that hard.

"I'm practicing, Arizona."

"Yeah, no shit", the shorter girl mumbled and stepped in front of the taller Latina to catch the ball.

"No!"

"Right. No. Actually, hell no!"

"Hell yeah! Gimme that", Callie protested, reaching for the ball in the blonde's hands.

"No", she said persistently. "You stopped playing half way through today's first set because your shoulder went stiff and hurt and that was only two hours ago. So, no, you're not practicing right now. It's idiotic and crazy."

The Latina tried again to get the ball back, but she had no luck, since her girlfriend had a tight grip around it. "Come on, Arizona. I have to."

"No, right now, you don't have to. What you have to do is give your shoulder some rest so it can heal, not to strain it even more." Her blue eyes were daring the brunette to not try to get to the ball again. And when Callie seemed to relax, she did too, the ball falling to the ground and rolling away.

"I just don't get it", she sighed. "I was good for the whole week. Practice went great and my shoulder was fine."

"But now it's not and you're just making it worse", Arizona countered.

"I just want to be okay again. I hate that it's taking me so long", the Latina huffed frustrated. Her frustration faded though when she felt the blonde's hands on her cheeks.

"Hey, look at me. You will be okay again. Maybe your shoulder needs just a little more time", she tried.

"But I don't want it to need a little more time. I want it to be good and I want to play again. I want be me again and without playing I don't feel like myself."

Arizona truly got what Callie was saying. She would be the same and frankly, she was impressed by her girlfriend's patience and how reasonable she had been all of the time. The brunette had never complained about getting that stupid sling on for the time she needed it. She had taken physical therapy just as serious as classes at school, had done her exercises at home or whenever she'd had the time. "I get that. And I get that you need a moment to snap at everything and be unreasonable. And as long as you don't strain your shoulder any more today, I'll be okay with being your verbal punching ball." Seeing the small smile on Callie's lips, she knew she had said the right words. "Come on, let's get inside. You can take a bath and I can give your shoulder a massage with my super magical fingers."

"Okay." She knew Arizona was right. Didn't mean she liked it, though. Then again, the blonde's massages were something she would never say no to.

"You'll see. Another week or two down the road, and your shoulder will be as good as new and you'll be back to be that bad-ass ambidextrous volleyball player you were before the accident."

"You think so?"

Picking up her bag, Arizona answered with a grin, "I know so." Then she grabbed the Latina's hand and led her through the open glass door into the living room. "I'll run the bath for you and I rather not come down and see you trying to make room for a new window in the kitchen with that ball, got it?"

"Yes ma'am, I promise", Callie answered and saluted like the Colonel had taught them when they were children. And she kept her promise. When Arizona came down the stairs a couple of minutes later, she was still standing on the same spot she had been when the blonde had taken off to run up the stairs.

"Thank you", she smiled.

"I always keep my promise", the Latina assured her. No matter how much the promise meant and to whom she gave it, she kept it. There wasn't a promise she willingly broke since the incident where she missed the blonde's competition.

Smiling even more now, the dimples popping into both of her cheeks, her eyes locked on the brunette's lips. "You know, I actually came over to tell you that I am staying the night."

"Really? And the Colonel is okay with that?"

"Oh, uhm, yeah. Well, I don't know, Mom said, she'd handle him. I told her about last night and your nightmare, not what you dreamed, just that you had one and then I asked her if I was allowed to come over, okay, well I literally pleaded with her because I just wanted to be with you tonight to in case-" Her ramblings were cut off by the brunette's forefinger, that was now softly pressed to her lips.

"Thank you", Callie said, thankful that her parents were not as strict with the rules that were made years ago – at least when it came to sleepovers on a schools night. They trusted them. It wasn't a question of trust in Daniel's eyes, though, because he too trusted them and so did Barbara. But he was still a marine and an honorable men who stuck to rules and boundaries and he wanted his daughter to do the same.

"We should go upstairs", Arizona said and ripped Callie out of her thoughts. "We don't want to flood the house, do we?"

"Oh, we better not", the brunette laughed and followed when her girlfriend went upstairs and into the bathroom. Shedding her clothes and tying her hair back into a loose bun, she eased her body into the hot water and groaned out in pleasure just as Arizona locked the door.

"Too hot?", she asked, sitting down on her heels next to the tub, her right hand playing with the water.

"No, perfect", Callie answered, giving Arizona a bright smile as she leaned back. "Ugh God, that's good." Closing her eyes, she felt her muscles relax more and more.

"Told ya." She couldn't keep her eyes from running over the brunette's body, though the bubble bath covered most of it. But her knees were bent and peeked out of the water in order to keep her shoulders beneath the hot liquid. Knees that belonged to those stunning legs Arizona adored to no end.

When the blonde didn't say anything, the Latina took it as silent agreement that their conversation was over. They didn't need to talk every minute of the day. Sometimes they laid on the bed in silence for hours, content to just be close with their legs and fingers tangled. But when a couple of minutes went by in silence, she opened her eyes, wondering if Arizona was still in the room. And oh yes, she was. "Wha- what are you doing?"

"Scoot forward", she demanded.

"What? Why?"

"To make some room for me so I can get in the tub as well and give you the massage I promised."

"Ugh...here?"

"I'm sure we can't move the tub into your room, but if you want, we can try", she joked, grinning when the Latina finally obeyed. Carefully getting into the tub as well, she moved as far back as she could and pulled her girlfriend to her, whispering, "Lean back", before she let her hands absorb the heat of the water.

It was a new sensation for both of them. Being naked in bed with each other, they'd done that a lot of nights and mornings. And their joined showers were also really, _really_ great. But being naked with their slick bodies pressed against each other's and Arizona's legs on either side of Callie's, well, heaven just came down to earth and into this bathroom.

"You feel good", Callie breathed out, loving the feeling of having Arizona so close, no matter the position they were in.

"You feel good too." Thinking that her fingers had now the right temperature, she asked, "Do you want me to start?"

"Yes, please."

"Why'd you get the ball?", the blonde asked all of a sudden, her fingers working on the sore muscles of her shoulder, paying extra attention to the joint.

"Because it's what we – ow – do on the court?", Callie hissed back, closing her eyes.

"No, I mean, yes. I know that. But that ball was just...this new player they have, this Wendy girl? She's really mean and good. Not that you aren't, good I mean, because you definitely are, but she...you know, she may have the name of a Disney character, but it surely does not fit her. Her smashes are evil!"

"But usually, I can take them. I always get - ooooooww-", she hissed even louder this time, "them and the girls turn the tables." She tried to hide the frustration that was boiling up again.

"I know, but usually, your shoulder wasn't dislocated eight weeks ago. I just...when I saw you going for the ball, I couldn't keep my eyes on you. It was unreasonable to even try."

"I know", Callie sighed. "I just wanted to prove myself that I could do it. Besides, there was no one else that could have reached it in time."

"So, it was a wise decision to throw yourself at it?"

"No", the brunette gave in. "No, it wasn't. And I was pissed that I could not continue and that we lost today."

Placing a few kisses on the tan shoulder, she said, "You'll beat her when you meet again, show her what the real Captain Torres can do."

"Oh, that hurt", Callie groaned when Arizona hit a certain spot, "but it hurts good."

Smiling into the Latina's neck and placing even more kisses on the soft wet skin, she continued to dig her thumbs into the muscles.

"You know, if it doesn't work out for whatever reason and you can't become a surgeon, you can go into PT. Your fingers really are magical."

"Oh. You'd be okay with me touching other women all day?"

"Hell no!", she objected.

"Mhmm, figured", the blonde smiled and whispered seductively, "But to be honest, I rather have my hands on you all day", causing Callie to groan again. "Because I don't think that sound would be as hot as it is coming out of another mouth." Nibbling at the earlobe she could reach without shifting too much, her hands dropped from where they'd been working on the brunette's shoulder and moved around to cup perfect breasts.

Moaning again, Callie turned her head to connect their lips, making both sigh as tongues met almost immediately. She felt better, and it wasn't only because of her shoulder. Arizona just had that effect on her. She had had last night just by the simple gesture of staying up. And she had right now because she knew what to say to make her feel better, to let go. "I love you", she panted into the kiss, feeling her nipples harden in the blonde's palms.

"I love you, too", Arizona replied, one hand moving further down her girlfriend's body while she captured her lips and tongue in another hungry dance. Hot baths together were definitely something they would have to do again.

XXX

Leaning against the blue car of her new best friends, with her arms crossed over her chest, Addison's eyes flickered between the swing doors of the building and her watch while she was waiting for Arizona and Callie to come out. They had to work on their project for advanced biology and thanks to their classmates – who had been noisy and inattentive the whole time – their papers were due tomorrow. So she had been waiting for Callie and watching her to some light work at practice and now she was waiting for the two of them, because Callie had gone inside in search of her girlfriend when she was fifteen minutes late. "Oh hey! Arizona, over here!", Addison waved as she spotted the blonde exiting the swim stadium – alone.

Jogging over to the redhead, Arizona stopped just a few inches before she crashed into her. "Thank God you're here!"

"Whoa, where's the fire?"

"Is that guy still looking for me?", the blonde asked, not wanting to challenge her luck and turn around. "Where's Calliope? I though you two we-"

"Wait", Addison cut the other girl off. She'd learned the hard way that Arizona's ramblings were stoppable on very rare occasions once she'd started. So, interrupting her before she could even start to rant on and on was the plan she was going for every time and up until now, it worked. "Take a breath...or ten. What guy? And Callie went looking for you 'bout five minutes ago."

"She did?"

"Yeah. But again, what guy?"

"Lucas...", Arizona groaned.

"Lucas? You have to help me here, I don't know any Lucas and unfortunately, I am not a mind reader, ya know", Addison teased.

"Not funny, Addie. Lucas, he's-"

"Hey, there you are", came the Latina running towards them, hugging her girlfriend from behind and pressing a soft kiss on her cheek. "Where have you been? You were kinda MIA in there and Marin said you've sneaked out before everybody else."

Spinning around and immediately pulling Callie close to her, she kissed the brunette with such force, Callie struggled do not fall back. "Make it go away", she whined when she pulled away.

"Make what go away, baby? What are you talking about?", she asked once she found her breath again.

"Arizona, there you are", sounded another voice.

A male voice that was already too close for the blonde's liking and when she turned around, he stood right in front of her. Tall boy, blonde short hair rubbed dry, probably with the towel that hung loose around his neck. "I am glad I caught you before you left. I wanted to ask-"

"Oh no, don't say it", Arizona said, her forefinger raised and her tone very stern.

"Come on. I'm not like the other guys. I am actually pretty nice and all I want is take you out to the diner down the street. Maybe on Friday after practice?"

Callie couldn't help but stare at the guy, while Addison eyed him from head to toe. Who was that guy and how did he not know who she was?

"Aaaaaaand you said it", the blonde stated and lowered her head so her right hand met her forehead whilst her left was touching around for her girlfriend's. "Lucas, look, I already told you-"

"You said no, I know. But you are really pretty", he replied, his eyes wandering down the girl's body, "and you seem really nice too. You were the only one welcoming me into the team today." He tried to take the blonde's hand, but Arizona pulled it away just in time.

"I-I-It was just me being polite!", she stammered screechy, her voice raising with every spoken syllable. No meant no, didn't it?

"One evening won't hurt", he insisted. "Or do you not want to go to the diner? You can choose. We just moved here so I don't know that much, but maybe you can show-"

"She can't", Callie interjected.

"Who said that you can make a decision for her?", Lucas asked, not taking his eyes of the blonde. He really wanted to take her out.

"She can", Arizona and Addison answered in unison. The redhead taking the position on the blonde's right side and Arizona finally found Callie's hand. "Look, Lucas. She can because she's my girlfriend. I was just trying to be nice because I can imagine how much it must suck to switch school within the school year. But that's it. I am always nice."

"Oh believe, she is", Addison grinned.

"Girlfriend?", the teenage boy asked, his gaze finding a pair brown narrow orbs staring back at him as he looked over to the tall Latina.

"Yes, girlfriend", Callie said through gritted teeth. The feeling that was creeping up inside of her didn't feel good at all. Jealousy. She always thought, she wasn't the jealous kind of a girlfriend, but then again, she never had a reason to be one before. Lucas though, he turned her into a boiling fiery Latina just by looking at Arizona like he was.

"Oh, so you are-"

"Madly in love with my girlfriend? Yes. Completely and honestly not interested in you? Yes. Just being super polite? Again, yes." Her hand had a tight grip on Callie's, thinking that her girlfriend did not take the situation as well as she did. She wouldn't. If the roles were reversed, she'd have hit that boy minutes ago.

"You are sick", Lucas stated.

"What? Can you say that again?"

"You. Are. Sick", he spat, emphasizing every word. "It's not right. No woman should lie next to another woman like she's supposed to with a man."

Stepping forward and shielding Arizona's body with her own, Callie asked, "Who says that?"

"God", the boy replied simply.

"No. If there is any God above, he made us the way he wants us to be", the Latina answered in a calm voice. She'd stopped going to church around the age of ten. Despite her early childhood and being raised strictly catholic the first six years of her life, she didn't believe in God. Maybe she would if her parents would still be alive, but Susan and Liam didn't believe there was some higher being or Lord or whatever, watching over them. They believed in evolution and the science and so did she.

"The Bible says-"

"The bible can say whatever it wants to say."

"You know what? I don't care. You'll end up in hell for your sins." And with that, he stormed off.

"Did that seriously just happened?", Addison asked, still a little stunned by the brunette's reaction, because she seriously though that Callie was a few seconds away from hitting that guy. "And how did he not know that you are a couple? You walk through the halls of our school hand in hand all the time!"

"Well, he said he just moved here. I don't think we have any class with him. I haven't seen him before", Callie answered and, turning to the blonde she asked, "Did you?"

"No. But eeeeeeew, he hit on me! Calliope, a guy hit on me! That's just...I don't like that! It's yukky! I probably have the cutis now!"

While the brunette pulled her girlfriend into a tight embrace and connected their lips in a soft kiss, the redhead next to them burst into a fit of laughter. "Cutis? Arizona, he didn't even try to kiss you."

"He's a guy! They have cutis everywhere!", she whined.

"I am sure I can kiss them away", the Latina breathed into the blonde's ear, making dimples pop into pale cheeks and goose bumps appear all over her girlfriend's body.

"Oh please, you too! It's enough that you felt each other up in my room last Saturday. Please let us finish our task before you get lost in sucking faces."

"Addison!", both teenagers grimaced at the redhead's words. But when blue eyes met brown, both noticing the blush evident on the other's cheek, their lips spread into big smiles. "Why does she never use a filter for her mouth?", Arizona asked.

"I'm not sure she even has one", the brunette replied, pecking her girlfriend's lips once again before pulling away. "But she does have a point. I'm not so keen to get my head bitten off by Mr. Colm tomorrow, so we really should get going."

"One more kiss and then we can go?"

Leaning in, she whispered, "You are too cute to resist" and captured her girlfriend's mouth in another kiss.

Her intention to keep it short was ruined by the blonde's arms flinging around her neck and holding her close to deepen the kiss by tracing a full bottom lip with her tongue. Arizona knew that Callie couldn't stop now and she took full advantage of it until she heard a fist banging against the window of the car and the muffled "Come on, guys."

Reluctantly tearing her lips away, she bit he inside of her cheek as she noticed the Latina's dreamy eyes. "Come on, brainy. We have a task to complete and a jerk to forget."

* * *

**AN: This was a little shorter because I needed a good point to split the topic. **

**AN2: Also, a little heads up. When I first posted this story, I had some mean words about the bible and religion topic, but I have no intention to insult people who are religious, believe in God or the bible. Because people are different and so is this AU. In this AU, Callie grew up with Christians until she lost her family. Now she lives with the Menkens and they are not religious - although not mentioned until the next chapter - they believe in science. However, the first time around I didn't think I did insult someone or the bible or God for that matter, but some people felt like I did. You can decide for yourself, of course, I just wanted to give a little warning in advance. **


	29. You've got a friend in me

**SORRY for the confusion... that happens when I try to get ahead of work... SORRY!**

Four weeks later, the Robbins' and Menken's were sitting around the dining table of the Robbins' household on a Saturday, enjoying one of Barbara's great meals. The women were chatting on and on about work or kids and even discussions concerning Colleges arose. Timmy was talking his father's and Liam's ears off, telling them about all the things he wanted to have for his birthday next week and that he of course knew about the three wishes rule, but that he wanted so much that he simply couldn't pick just three of them.

The only two not talking – or listening, for that matter – were the girls. Arizona picked her fork into her dinner, not really eating anything and Callie did almost the same. Her hand was placed on the blonde's thigh, as usual, but both minds were somewhere else.

"Dimples?", Barbara asked when she noticed the girls were not eating. She knew her children and her goddaughter, and not touching their favorite food never meant something good. Lightly touching her daughter's forearm and making the girl flinch, she added, "Is everything okay with you?"

"Uhm..."

"You're both awfully quiet, did something happen?", Susan asked now, watching the Latina's head shooting up and meeting her gaze almost at the same time as Arizona's. And when the teenagers shared a look, seeming to have a silent conversation with their eyes only, she knew for sure something was wrong. "You know you can tell us."

"Should we leave you for a bit?", Daniel suggested.

"Yeah, we could just-", Liam started, but was cut off by his daughter's voice.

"No. It's...", she trailed off to look at Arizona again. "We should tell them."

Daniel narrowed his eyes. He had no clue what could possibly be wrong, and neither did any other parent in the room. None of their girls could be pregnant – which he was happy about because that's what every teenager's parent feared – and none of them was seriously sick. For what he knew, school was no issue, swimming was great and even Callie was completely back on the court, her shoulder finally stopped giving her a hard time. "Dimples."

"Should I tell him?", Callie asked, wanting to make it as easy as possible for her girlfriend, but golden tresses flew lightly around Arizona's head as she shook it. "Okay."

"Mom, dad...you don't think this is wrong, do you?", the blonde asked, taking the Latina's hand and interlacing their fingers openly between the plates.

"What makes you think that?", Barbara asked in shock, the same expression evident on Susan's face.

"There is this new guy in school, he's a member of our swimming class as well and he says we're sinners and that we're going to hell for loving each other."

"He hit on Arizona the first day and when she turned him down the second time, he started acting out", Callie added.

"Is it just words?", Daniel wanted to know, already sensing there was more to this story.

"No", his daughter said, shaking her hand once again. "First it was only him and he stuck sheets to our lockers with 'sinner' or 'bitch' written on it. Then he found friends and now they're-"

"They're complete idiots!", Callie burst out. "One of them cut Arizona's school bag with a knife. And our lockers have now 'sick lesbians' sprayed all over them." She still remembered the blue eyes she could get lost in so easily filled with tears when they saw it the first time. "Though they're cleaned now..."

"Oh, so that's the reason you asked for money for a new one last week, and not because your old one was bright pink."

Blushing, the blond nodded. The color would've never been an issue. She still loved pink. Plus, a couple of years ago, Callie had drawn a big butterfly on the inside of the lid; so every time she'd opened it, she'd seen the black lines of the permanent marker. "Yes, mom. I am sorry. I, we didn't want to bother you. We thought if we'd just ignore it, he would stop. But now it's a group of six or seven guys."

"Arizona, you should never think you're bothering us. Both of you. We're your parents and if something is wrong, we want to know so we can help."

"I agree", Liam replied. "Did you talk to your teachers or the principal about it?"

Both girls shaking their heads this time. "We wanted to just wait and see if they would back off again. We never had any troubles in school before he showed up."

"They're not stopping, dad. And Lucas, that's the boy who asked me out, he keeps hitting on me."

"What?!", the brunette asked. How did she not know this.

"He's being one of the biggest assho – mean guys", she corrected herself, remembering that Timmy was still with them, "at school. But at practice, he keeps hitting on me and asking me out, telling me that he could make me normal again."

"Arizona, why didn't you tell me?" Putting her arm around the blonde's waist and pulling her close to kiss her temple.

"We are normal, aren't we?", the girl asked. Though she was usually really strong, confident in who she was and not one to get confused easily, this whole thing got to her more than she wanted and more than she liked even more than she could handle.

"Of course we are, honey", the Latina reassured her, pressing a kiss on her cheek. "We are as normal as our parents and everybody else in the world...okay, maybe there are some exceptions. But who you love does not define whether you're normal or not. But why did you hide that from me?"

"Calliope is right, Dimples. Do you know why he keeps saying you are not normal?"

"He says that I am sick for loving Calliope. Because it is not what God wants."

Raising from his chair, Daniel's hands met the table with a loud bang, making six pairs of eyes looking up at him. "That's enough!"

"Daniel, calm down, please", Barbara tried, knowing all too well how impulsive her husband could be, especially when it came to protecting his children – something Arizona had already caught on as well. But there was no need to get 'marine-father-protector' right now.

"My daughter and her girlfriend are not sick, nor are they sinners. I raised my children to believe in our country and taught them to show other people the respect every human being deserves. I raised my children to be strong and honorable. And this bigoted boy walks around, telling my daughter she's sick and not normal for being who she is, that is something I won't accept."

"I'm with him", Liam said, standing up as well. "We'll talk to your teacher first thing Monday morning and if that's not enough we'll go to the principal."

"Will you excuse me for a minute?", the blonde asked, already getting up and turning around, trying to hide her face when the tears were daring to spill from her eyes.

"Of course, Dimples", her father assured her, his eyes finding Callie's the moment he said the words and his daughter had left the room.

"I'll go after her. We'll be back in a bit." Rushing after the blonde, who she knew was in either her room or locked up in the bathroom, she sprinted upstairs and tried the blonde's bedroom first. Luck was on her side, because she found Arizona sitting on her bed with her face in her hands and sobs reached her ears. "Arizona-" Pulling the smaller body into an embrace, she shifted so her girlfriend's head was against her chest, her ear right above her heart.

"Calliope", she sniffed. "I am sorry for not telling you." Her fingers clenched in the fabric of the Latina's shirt. "It was nothing, at first. I still think it is yukky, but I can take yukky and just walk away. But then he started saying all that stuff about turning me straight and that our love is not real. It's real, Calliope. I know it's real. I love you. I love you more than anything in the whole world."

"Shsh", Callie soothed, rubbing her hand in circles over her girlfriend's back. "_We_ know it is real. _We_ know that we love each other and none of the rest of it matters. 'Cause we have our families and friends who stick up for us." It was true. Everybody accepted them for who they were. "You know he's just a really sad person for bullying us because of one book that was written by men and not by God himself and the things a priest or his parents put into his brain", she tried to lighten the mood. "Love is love and nobody gets to tell me who I am allowed to love."

"Why are you so strong?", the blonde asked, lifting her head up from the spot on Callie's chest to look into those amazing deep pools of chocolate.

"Because that's part of being in a relationship, taking turns in being strong and being there for each other. You were there when I was down because of my shoulder and now I am here for you, telling you that he can keep calling us names and telling us we're sick and everything as much as he wants, it will never change the way I feel for you. And his words won't magically become the truth just because he won't shut up."

"He's an asshole", Arizona stated.

"A big one", the Latina laughed.

"I am really sorry for not telling you."

"It's okay. I get why you didn't. I only would have gotten jealous about it."

"But jealous you is so hot", the blonde grinned.

"There is that smile I love so damn much."

"You always make me smile, Calliope."

"You make me smile t-" But her words were cut off by the blonde's lips, capturing hers in a soft kiss that only stopped when breathing became a necessity. "We should go downstairs again."

"One more minute, please."

"As if I would say no to that." Smiling, she pulled her girlfriend in for another hug, inhaling her scent as her nose came in contact with soft blonde hair. She closed her eyes, knowing that there were most likely more people like Lucas out there. But no matter how many people would try and tell her differently, her love for Arizona was not wrong. Not at all!

XXX

Later that evening, when two sets of parents had left for a night at the theater and Timmy was already asleep because he had simply been too exhausted after his five hours soccer tournament, the girls were lying on Arizona's bed, facing each other and Callie had her arms protectively wrapped around her girlfriend. There was no DVD running, no music playing in the background. It was rare, but both of them were too lost in their thoughts anyways to pay attention to anything else. A few kisses were shared, light pecks on lips, cheeks or foreheads, but no word was spoken for little more than an hour.

"Where are you going?", Arizona asked immediately, the grip of her arm tightening were it was draped over the Latina's side when she felt her girlfriend's movements.

"Just getting something to drink for us", the brunette answered, her voice raspy because of her dry throat.

"Oh, okay."

"Hey", Callie started shifting so that she was able to look into the ocean blue eyes of the blonde. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just really comfy right now and when you get out of bed, the sheets turn cold and you'll be colder and-"

Kissing the girl to shut her up, the Latina grinned at the success and pulled away to ask, "You sure that's it?"

Humming and nodding, the blonde's eyes found Callie's lips again only seconds before she crashed their lips together. Something that felt so good just couldn't be wrong. Because if this was wrong, then everything else had to be wrong too.

"Do you-" Cut off by yet another kiss Arizona pressed fiercely on her lips, Callie felt herself being pushed onto her back and just a few seconds later, the blonde was on top of her. "Hey!"

Raising an eyebrow, blue eyes stared down at her girlfriend, "You complaining about me being on top of you?"

"No, but – ugh!", she groaned as a thigh wiggled its way between her legs, slightly pushing upwards to put some pressure against her center.

"You were saying?"

Grinning mischievously, tan hands flung around a pale neck, pulling Arizona down and whispering "Nothing", before closing the gap between them and connecting their mouths in a soft kiss. Fingernails scratched lightly over the skin of her stomach, making her moan into Arizona's mouth in appreciation.

"This is not wrong", the blonde murmured against the Latina's lips.

"What?", Callie asked, her brain having a few troubles concentrating with her girlfriend's fingers close to her waistband.

"Nothing", Arizona insisted, claiming the brunette's lips once again and pushing the material of her shirt up to expose more of her soft skin. "Up", she demanded and helped Callie to sit up only to get rid of the shirt and pushed her back on the mattress, placing hot open mouth kisses on the body beneath her starting, on her chest. Trying to caress as much of the brunette as possible; going over her left costal arch, moving to the middle. All the time altering between kisses, light nips and licking some flesh with her tongue. Lust had completely taken over her body and mind. She needed to make love to her girlfriend and forget all about that stupid jerk named Lucas and his damn followers. "Calliope?"

The Latina propped herself up on her elbows to look down at Arizona, seeing golden curls sprawled out over her belly to create a wonderful contrast with her tan skin. "What is it?", she gasped, her breath already going faster and one hand clutching the bed sheets below her, because of the blonde's kisses burning like a good feeling fire on her skin.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yeah", she replied with a smile, "of course I do."

Looking up so blue eyes met brown, she timidly asked, "Can I try something?"

"What do you have in mind?"

Instead of giving the brunette and answer, she crawled back up her body so they were eye to eye. Straddling Callie's thigh, her left hand holding her up while her right roamed Callie's torso, cupping a perfect breast through the black bra as it had the chance to do so. Kneading it softly a few times, she kissed the full lips before her for a brief second, then going over to nip and peck along the Latina's jaw line up to her ear. Distracting the girl beneath to gather all the courage she would need, she pulled down the material of the bra and played with an erect bud. Enjoying the moan her ministrations coaxed out of her girlfriend, she smiled against the shell of her ear and husked, "I want to...uhm...taste you."

Her breath got caught in her throat and her heart most likely stopped beating for a moment. "You mean-?", she nodded down between their bodies instead of finishing her question.

"Yessss", Arizona hissed, the nervousness in her voice very audible and therefore a little too prominent for her liking, but she couldn't help it. "Unless, you don't want me to?", she asked anxiously, needing a little more words from Callie than just the first half a question.

"I am- I want- I mean, do you really want to?"

Nodding as her hand run down the Latina's body to the waistband of her jeans, she had the pants unbuttoned and unzipped within a few seconds. Her fingertips slipping inside the panties and going lower and lower until they were met with a nice amount of moisture. "Yes, I really want to", she breathed against her girlfriend's mouth.

Feeling like the temperature in the room had suddenly increased a lot, Callie swallowed down the lump that was forming in her throat and closed her eyes before she even tried to say something. She knew Arizona would never ask if she wasn't ready, but suddenly, she became a nervous wreck and it felt like their first time all over again. What if the blonde didn't like it? What if Arizona thought it was gross? What if she didn't like it? And what if her girlfriend wanted her to repay the favor? Would she know what to do?

"Calliope, stop freaking out."

When she looked up again, she found her lover studying her face with a dimpled and warm smile on her face and eyes full of love, adoration and lust. The last making them a darker shade of blue.

"Just tell me what you want?", the blonde suggested, her fingers still softly moving between Callie's thighs. "Would you be okay with it?"

Not trusting her voice, Callie nodded.

"You can tell me if you don't feel comfortable with it at any point and I will stop, okay?", Arizona offered, slowly pulling her hand out of the brunette's pants and tracing soft patterns over her stomach up to her breast. "Can we get this off?", she asked with a smirk, tugging at the bra straps.

"Please", the Latina panted, arching her back immediately to make some room for the blonde's hands to unclasp the bra. She felt the straps being pushed over her shoulders, followed by delicate lips on her skin.

"I love your skin so much. It's so soft everywhere. But especially right here", Arizona whispered, her lips ghosting over the brunette's collar bone. "I love that you moan when I kiss or nip here", she husked, her kisses moving over a tan neck, lightly grazing the skin with her teeth before catching Callie's lips. Tongues mingling together in a sloppy kiss, the Latina already having a hard time focusing. Pulling out of the kiss, Arizona brought her lips to her girlfriend's ear once again to whisper, "I'm going slow, okay?" But she didn't move until she received a nod in response.

She nipped and sucked on every millimeter of skin she could find on her way down the girl's body, using it to calm her nerves and also soothing the anticipation that was boiling inside her. Her hands found two perfect breasts, cupping and squeezing them softly whilst she kissed further down, only stopping to roll pebbled nipples between her fingers. Moaning when she felt hips buck against her torso, she sat back up on her heels, pulling at the Latina's pants.

Raising her hips to help her girlfriend, she groaned when she noticed that Arizona dragged her panties down at the same time, leaving her utterly naked. "I think", she breathed, but stopped when she felt hands roam first her calves and then her thighs.

"What do you think?", the blonde asked, kissing the inside of a muscled thigh.

"You", she swallowed, "you should...get naked...too."

"Fair enough", Arizona grinned, getting rid of everything except for her panties in record time. "That okay?"

Looking down, seeing that Arizona's panties were her favorite white with the lace hem, she gulped. "Uh huh." God, she loved seeing her girlfriend in those panties. She got them for her last birthday, because well, she liked lace.

"You're so beautiful, Calliope", she spoke under her breath, so quietly, she wasn't even sure Callie would hear it. Kissing up the inside of the Latina's thigh, she remembered everything her girlfriend's kisses ignited inside her a few weeks ago. When she neared her center, she smelled something new and she thought she would come right then and there. She couldn't wait to taste her, but before she did the next step, she looked up, finding Callie's eyes closed. Her lower lip was trapped between her teeth, tan fingers digging into the blanket below her and her breast was rising and falling rapidly with every pant. "You okay?"

"Mhmm", she hummed.

"Good. Just tell me if you want me to stop, okay?"

"Mhmm."

Taking in a deep breath, she let her tongue sweep over the apex of her girlfriend's thigh, moaning at the smell that filled her nostrils. "Oh God."

"What?", Callie asked, her mind not getting the words Arizona had said.

"Nothing, just..." she trailed off as she made eye contact with the brunette's clit. She'd never been this close before, not even when she helped her in the shower, and all she could do now was swallowing hard. Licking her lips, she lowered her mouth and kissed the spot over Callie's mound.

"Ooooh", the Latina gasped.

"Good oh?", Arizona asked insecure.

"Uh huuh."

Encouraged by the bucking hips beneath her, she lowered her face again, her lips making first contact with a throbbing bundle of nerves.

"Jesus!", Callie groaned, her hips jerking up.

Smiling at her girlfriend's reaction, Arizona kissed the soft skin in front of her once again before letting her tongue peek out and slowly dragging it along the slit. Her taste buds ignited with the scent that was pure Calliope and she moaned loud in appreciation. Because this taste was too good to be true. Salty and sweet at the same time. And although she said she would go slow, she couldn't after tasting her for the first time. She knew already, she would _never _get tired of that.

Letting her tongue slide through the brunette's folds once again, she caught even more of her wetness, making her groan this time. Placing her hands on each of Callie's thighs to keep them apart as tan legs started to shake next to her head, she breathed in the intoxicating scent. Hoping it would be as heavenly for her girlfriend as it was for her, she glanced up. Full lips were parted, Callie's neck stretched, her face hidden in the pillow to muffle every noise that could come out of her mouth. And boy, did she wanted to make her scream. So she dove back in, nerves and slow forgotten. Her tongue found a hard clit, circling it, because she knew Callie liked it when she did that with her fingers. Her tongue though seemed to be even better, because after a few seconds, the Latina yelped in surprise and her back rose of the mattress.

"Don't stop", she panted.

'Never', Arizona thought, stiffening the muscle in her mouth to give her girlfriend more.

"Oh God, Ari-"

"Mhmm", she hummed,completely lost between the brunette's legs.

"Ah, shit!"

Blue eyes fluttered close. Callie's cursing meant she enjoyed it just as much as she did and that gave her ego a good boost.

"Ari-" Apparently, she'd even lost her ability to speak, because no actual word left her mouth. "Plea-"

Complying, she circled the brunette's clit over and over again, trying to hold her hips down when they bucked against her face even more. The moans became louder and the pillow did nothing to muffle them. And then suddenly, Callie's thighs closed around her head, her body shook with tremors and went completely rigid for a long moment as she crashed over the edge, then she fell back down on the mattress.

Wanting more and knowing that Callie was even wetter now, she let her tongue glide down. Finding the very moist entrance and lapping up what the Latina was offering, making the body beneath twitch yet again, she smiled. Because that was better than everything they'd done so far.

Climbing up the bed and studying her girlfriend's face, she waited for brown eyes to flutter open as she licked her lips. Fingers combed through thick dark tresses, brushing the strands out of the beautiful face. "You okay?"

She couldn't answer. Arizona had knocked the wind out of her and she still tried to fill her lungs with air and get her heart to start beating again. She was sure it had stopped and she had died and gone to heaven.

"Hey, what's wrong?", the blonde asked when Callie didn't react.

Still breathing really hard, she tried to open her eyes. Blinking a few times, brown orbs found blue, the anxiety very evident in them. Willing her hand to move she cupped her girlfriend's cheek, her lips turning into a smile. But she still couldn't say a word.

"Did I do wrong?"

"Wrong?", she panted. "Jesus. I- you- that was-", she stammered. "Holy shit!"

"That good?"

"Amazing."

"Really?" Blue eyes beamed at her, her smile lighting up the whole room and her heart.

Her heart still pounding fast in her chest, she said, "Yeah. Give me a minute. I wanna do that too."

"You don't have to", Arizona stated. Not that she not wanted it, but she didn't want Callie to feel forced to give her the same pleasure.

"I know. I want to."

"Really?

"Really", Callie smiled up at the blonde.

The emotions getting the better of her, she crashed her lips against the Latina's and pushed her tongue into her mouth.

Callie moaned once again because she could still taste the remnants of her juices on her girlfriend's lips and tongue. At least, that's what she thought, because Arizona tasted differently. But, if the blonde tasted only a little bit like that, she would happily go down on her every day from now on, because there was no way she would get enough of that. "If this is wrong, I don't want to be right ever again", Callie whispered before flipping them over and topping her girlfriend.


	30. You've got a friend in me part 2

Chapter 5 - You've got a friend in me

"You ready?", Callie asked her blonde girlfriend standing right beside her. Pale fingers had a death grip around her hand, a telltale sign that she was nervous or even afraid to enter the school building.

Arizona shook her head. "To be honest, no."

"Our dads are already in there, yours is probably scaring our principal", the Latina joked and she could be right. Their principal, Mr. Cartwright, was not one of the strongest men she knew. A good teacher, yes. But not that good in handling difficult situations. He got his position because the old headmaster retired and he simply was the next in line. But though she tried to lighten the mood, Arizona didn't laugh. Nudging her hips, she said, "Hey you'll see, it'll all be okay. We'll face it together."

"I'm just... what if it doesn't change anything? They can't kick him out of school because he's a Christian, neither 'cause he's smudging our lockers. And what if Mr. Cartwright is a Christian too? They stick together, don't they? I mean, we stick together too, our families and friends, we-"

"Stop!", the brunette demanded and stepped in front of her girlfriend so she was facing the blonde. "Stop right there. We don't know what he will or can do. And all that matters is that we make it through the rest of the year and then we can head off to College. So, we only need a solution for the next-"

"Seven months", the blonde deadpanned, her blue eyes icy, a shade Callie hadn't seen that often.

"Right. Not that long."

"Seven months of insults. Seven months of getting hit on behind everybody's back. Seven months of telling me I need to be turned straight. Sure, not that long", she huffed.

Placing her hands on Arizona's cheeks and lifting her face so she had to look at her, the brunette brushed her thumbs over the soft skin. "We have to wait and see what our dads and Mr. Cartwright come up with. And we really have to get in, because class starts in a few minutes and I still have to get my books and stuff."

"Callie", Arizona started, reaching for the Latina's hands.

"Calliope", she corrected, even stomping with her foot. She hated everyone who called her Calliope without her permission, but it always sounded so wrong coming out of Arizona's mouth.

Breathing out, blue eyes pleading with soulful brown orbs, pulling down her girlfriend's hands and holding them tight. "Calliope. I just hate it. I want it to be over. I want Lucas crawl back into that hole he came from and just leave me, leave us, alone. I am tired of facing all of his crap!"

"I know. And I really get it. I don't like it either", she laughed, squeezing the other girl's hands. "But-"

"Yeah, I know. School's not waiting for me to get my shit together", Arizona smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Let's go." Slowly, they began to move. Hesitating steps while she tried to get her breathing, nerves and anger under control. This whole thing really put a damper on her mood. She usually was one of the happiest teenagers at school, every teacher loved her, even most of the parents. Because she was always so cheery and walked around smiling at everybody. Since Lucas came into their lives though, the dimples in her cheeks were missing more and more and school and even swimming was kind of ruined for her. Ugh, she really hated him.

Making their way through the glass doors and down the hallway, they headed for their lockers. Turning the last corner, with the goal right in front of their eyes, Arizona stopped dead in her tracks, making Callie stop as well since their fingers were still intertwined. But the blonde saw what the Latina hadn't because unlike Arizona, she was not looking straight ahead. "How dare you?", she yelled.

"What?", the Latina's head snapped up, thinking her girlfriend was talking to her.

Lucas, with the spray can still in his hand, turned around, looking like a kid that got caught with its hand in the cookie jar. "Good morning" he played.

"Good morning? I give you good morning!" Rage filling her body at lightning speed and she still hadn't read the words written over the lockers.

"Well, I am done here anyways, so, I'll see you later during practice." He grabbed his bag from the floor and when he bent down, both, Callie and the blonde could read the red capital letters.

"Oh, hell no!" Letting go of the brunette's hand, she literally sprinted towards the teenage boy and shoved his back against the locker. She snapped. She completely lost it. "Latin slut? LATIN SLUT? Seriously?", she yelled right into his face. "Are you completely nuts?" When he tried to move, she pushed him against the metal once again. "Racism, that's what you're going with now?"

Callie just stood there, eyes wide, mouth agape. One, she was stunned by the blonde's strength and two, she thought her eyes were betraying her.

"She is Latin, isn't she?"

"And that gives you the right to insult her? Have you lost your mind? You fucking-"

"Arizona Robbins!", Daniel's voice echoed through the air. He, Liam and Mr. Cartwright had exited the principal's office the exact same second Arizona had yelled at the boy. Recognizing his daughter's voice, they shared a knowing look and rounded the corner. Immediately seeing Lucas trapped between the wall of lockers and the blonde.

"-prick! I give you Latin slut right in your face!" And with that, her fist met the boy's nose. The pain shooting through her hand instantly, she raised her hand again, aiming for another swing.

Neither Callie nor the adults could react fast enough to stop Arizona from hitting him the first time, but Daniel was fast on his feet, pulling his daughter away.

"No, let me go!" She kicked and thrashed around to free herself, despite knowing that it was no use with Daniel's arms around her petite body. "He deserves more!"

"That's enough, Arizona!" His voice still stern, he dragged her a few feet away, over to where Callie seemed to be frozen on the spot. He looked at the boy who was frozen as well, holding his hand over his bleeding nose. Seeing the words for the first time, blue eyes narrowed with anger, but he had better control. "Calm down, Dimples."

"No! Daddy, let me go!", she tried to wriggle herself free again. No chance.

"Liam", Daniel addressed his friend, telling him silently to look at the lockers too. Because he didn't believe his eyes. "Calliope, are you okay?"

She didn't move. Was she okay? It were only words, right? But none of his former insults had gotten to her that much. Lesbian, she got that, well, kinda. At least, she got where he was coming from. She didn't understand it, but she knew the Bible. But why did he offend her for being born into a Latin family?

"Calliope?", Arizona asked, finally stopping to fight her father when she saw the tears on her girlfriend's cheeks.

"Calliope", Liam walked up to his daughter, blocking her sight, because her eyes seemed to be transfixed on the words. "Mr. Cartwright, I'm taking my daughter home." He didn't even turn around when he talked, his priority was his daughter and not the principal. Wiping away her tears, he added, "I assume you are okay with it. And I also reckon you handle the situation today. My daughter won't come back to school before it's solved."

"Neither does mine", Daniel agreed. He knew it took a lot of Arizona to snap like that. She could take a lot and when they'd talked more yesterday about everything that had happened over the last weeks, he saw that she really tried to be reasonable with everything. But he also knew, that Arizona would protect Callie with everything she had and that was exactly what happened. It didn't mean he was okay with what the blonde had done. He was not a fan of violence. But there was no denying he would have done the same thing if he would have been in her shoes. And he was kind of proud of his daughter.

"I understand", Mr. Cartwright nodded. "Lucas, you go and see the school's nurse, get an icepack for your nose that will stop the bleeding. Then I'll see you in my office. You can explain to your parents what you have done when they get here."

"Come on, Calliope."

Still not saying a word, she let herself be dragged outside by her father, followed by Daniel and her girlfriend. She was still trying to comprehend everything but as hard as she tried, she couldn't wrap her mind around it.

"Calliope", the blonde reached out, her hand brushing down the inside of the Latina's arm until she could entwine their fingers, wincing at the contact. Damn, she really hoped his nose was at least broken. "Love? Please, say something."

"Can we just go home?", she asked. She just wanted to get away from here.

"Yes. I'm calling Barbara to tell her we're coming back. Susan's off today, right?"

"Yes. I'm telling her to come over too", Liam said. He would give a lot to have this day off too, but he was a teacher and had to be at his school by ten. "She's not going to like it."

"Neither won't Barb. But I think it's the right thing to do. At least today. I don't want them walking the halls as long as those words are still there."

"Me neither." Liam sighed. His daughter seemed completely shocked. Getting in the car and putting her seat belt on it seemed like she was going on autopilot. Starting the engine, he looked into the rear view mirror. The brunette's eyes were dull, her cheeks tears strained. The blonde on the other hand still looked furious. She was calm, but he wouldn't guarantee that she wouldn't snap again if Lucas would be near. They needed to solve this, rather now than tomorrow. But he had hope. When they had talked to Mr. Cartwright, he seemed to be defensive, telling them that it was just what kids were doing these days. But calling Lucas into his office had to mean something.

xxx

Arizona was sitting on the couch in the living room of the Robbins' household. Her left knee was bent so her ankle was under the other leg, mirroring the pose Callie had next to her so they were facing each other. The Latina had a cautious hold on the blonde's hand, carefully wrapping a bandage around her knuckles that were already bruised and swollen. From the fair share of sprains and sore wrists Callie had had over the years, she knew how to do that, even wrapped and taped her arms, wrists and fingers herself.

"Ow", the blonde winced when the pressure of the brunette's fingers was more than she could stand that moment.

"Sorry", Callie whispered immediately, knowing that bruising hurt like hell. "That was quite a punch."

With a proud smile on her face, the blonde said, "It was, wasn't it?" But then her thoughts flew back to the lockers and she got angry again. "I really hope I damaged his nose", Arizona grumbled.

"I hope so too, but we better not let _the Colonel_ hear that", the brunette replied with a small laugh.

Arizona looked over to the door, seeing the entrance of the kitchen were her parents were at the moment, probably thinking about the way to discipline their daughter for her action. Totally worth it though. "Let him. He can ground me or whatever he wants to do. I would do it again."

"Thank you. For defending me."

"I'd do a lot more for you. I love you and I protect the things I love", she repeated her father's words. "And he really deserved it. It was about time someone put him into place. He can't walk around and offend people as he pleases. We took enough of his shit already and enough is enough."

"I think the same", Daniel's voice sounded as he, his wife and Susan entered the living room.

"Daddy, I-"

"Don't", he cut her off and sat down in his armchair while Barbara and Susan sat down on the couch across from the girls. "You know how I think about violence, Arizona."

"Yes, but, daddy-"

He interrupted her again. "No. You won't talk. You will listen and only answer when I ask you a question."

Feeling like she was shrinking a couple of inches, she sat up straight and nodded, not daring to meet her father's gaze. Calling her Arizona instead of Dimples meant that he meant business, and she knew that.

"I know I was the one who taught you how to hit in case you needed to defend yourself. I didn't teach you to walk around and punch people in their faces, though. That was not my intention and you know it."

Nodding again, she felt Callie's body inching closer to hers making her feel she was not alone. And she really tried to take in all he was telling her that moment, but it felt more like waiting for the final judgment.

"I raised you better than that, Arizona. But-"

"And here it comes", she whispered and closed her eyes.

"-we know you did it to defend Calliope. You could have handled the situation better and used your words, but we understand why you acted like you did."

"You do?", the blonde asked in disbelief, looking first at her mother and then over to her father.

"Yes, we do, Dimples", Barbara assured her. "You do have a lot of your father in you. Defending somebody's honor and to actually push a taller boy against the lockers because he insulted your girlfriend in public says a lot about you. But you can't lose it like that."

"I know, momma. And I would say that I am sorry, if I was. But can I be honest and say that I am not? Because he thinks it's okay to act like that and getting away with it is worse than me hitting him. I", she looked at Callie before she continued, "there's nothing wrong with being a Latina. She's a human being – one of the most beautiful, might I add – and I just can't sit and wait until he's going to do worse things to her." She searched for her father's eyes. "Daddy, the only thing I am sorry for is that you had to pull me away and that I tried to kick you... I just wanted you to be proud of me for standing up for the ones I love."

Daniel just stared at his daughter. When had she become so adult? Wasn't it just yesterday that he got her and his wife home when she was born? Or her first day at school?

"Daniel, I think we can let her out of the dog house now, don't you?", Barbara suggested.

"I'm not getting grounded for what I did?" Blue eyes shot open, blinking rapidly because she really thought she'd heard wrong.

"You are. But only for today. So, no practice. You'll wait until school's over and call Addison to ask what happened in school and won't complain about doing all the work to catch up with what you've missed."

"Am I grounded too", the brunette asked her mom who had been quiet all the time.

"No. Because I can't ground you for being the victim of a teenage boy. But you will have to catch up with school too." Getting a nod in response, she didn't say anything else, knowing her daughter wouldn't have a problem with working the whole afternoon if she had to. Plus, not being at school was already punishment enough, for both of them, even more so if they wouldn't let them go back to school in case nothing had changed.

"Liam and I will go back to your school this afternoon and see if he took care of everything. Mr. Cartwright called half an hour ago to tell us that we'll meet with Lucas' parents as well. He asked if you wanted to come too but we leave that up to you", Daniel explained.

"I don't want to", Arizona spoke first, feeling Callie squeeze her hand in agreement. "Are we allowed to go upstairs?"

"Yes", her father nodded and looked straight ahead when his daughter got off the couch and pulled Callie with her. "Dimples", he called for her when the girls reached the doorway.

Not turning around, the blonde asked, "Yes?"

"Put some ice on your hand, it will help against the soreness."

"Okay, thanks, daddy."

"And Dimples?"

"Yes?"

"I _am_ proud of you. You are my good man in a storm."

She spun around on her heels and jogged over to her father. "Thank you, daddy!" Putting her arms around the man's waist, she let out a content sigh when she felt him hugging her back. "I love you."

"I love you too, Dimples. You're still grounded, though."

"I know", she smiled. "It's okay. I deserve it. But I promise to use my words the next time instead of my fist... at least I try to remember it", she added with a grin. Letting go of her father and walking back to her girlfriend, she turned around once more to say, "Because frankly, my hand hurts like-"

"Don't make me regret not grounding you by cursing now", the Colonel reminded her.

Coughing, she swallowed the giggles that were bubbling up and kept a serious composure. "Uhm...it hurts a lot?"

"She may have a lot from me, but she definitely has your charm", Daniel sighed when the three adults were alone.

"It's a good thing she does. Would she not have it, she would scare away everybody with her father, _the Colonel"_, Barbara agreed with a smile.

"I don't know about you, but I for one think, we raised two amazing girls", Susan chimed in. "I don't know how I would have handled the situation. I am actually impressed that it took four weeks for one of them to snap. We might have raised Calliope, but deep down she is a Latina with a Latina temper."

"I agree", Daniel nodded. "Two amazing beautiful young adults who are responsible and care for each other."

"Love, Daniel. That's what this is. We would do the same."

"So would Liam and I. And I am happy that Calliope has Arizona. It was very clear from the start that what they have is special. Admittedly, I didn't think they would fall in love with each other, but then again, I couldn't think of anyone who would be better for our girl."

Agreeing and knowing that Daniel thought the same, Barbara replied. "Neither could we."

xxx

Lying on her stomach and propped up on her forearms with the book in her hands and Arizona lying next to her, Callie tried to focus on the written words to catch up with their homework, which was quite the task with her thoughts going in a very inappropriate direction all afternoon. And half way through the ordered pages, she could honestly say that Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' was not her cup of tea. She'd prefer 'Midsummer Night's Dream' over it any time. And looking over to her girlfriend, she either thought the same or was totally lost in the events that happened today; she couldn't read the blonde's face. Nevertheless, she looked stunning with her curls falling into her face like a golden curtain. The little spot of deep blue eyes she could see made her stomach do somersaults and even if she would actually try, she wouldn't be able to stop the grin forming on her lips. She was utterly beautiful and the concentrated look made her also pretty hot. She could just... Shifting her weight to her right arm, she brushed some tresses behind the blonde's ear to get her attention. "Hey", she smiled.

"Hey", Arizona whispered back and faced the brunette, a soft smile tugging at her lips. She'd spent the last thirty minutes or so staring down at the pages, not really getting the words she had been reading, still turning the pages every time Callie did, not wanting her girlfriend to notice that she was not actually reading.

When Daniel and Liam came home from their meeting with the principal earlier that afternoon, they brought both, good and bad news for the girls. Bad, Lucas' parents insisted that Arizona and Callie would be at school tomorrow as well to tell their version of the happenings and Arizona got suspended from school for two days for punching Lucas, not counting today. And although both girls thought it was the wrong decision, they somehow understood where Mr. Cartwright was coming from. He couldn't just let it go as self-defense, unfortunately. Because Lucas hadn't hit her. But the good news was, that the boy got suspended for two weeks as soon as he'd told Mr. Cartwright that he was the one who vandalized school property. And the possibility that he even got expelled was still not of the table. There would be a conference to make the decision whether he was allowed to come back or not. On another note, the Grencher's – his parents – were not overzealous about the fact that their precious son was attending the same school as 'people like them'. Neither Liam nor Daniel had given them their opinion about Lucas and his parents, the Colonel's face had said it all, though. But maybe it would be all over in a few weeks.

"Penny for your thoughts?", Callie asked, nudging her girlfriend's shoulder with her own.

"Just thinking", the blonde answered.

"Well, what are you thinking?" Her eyes raked over Arizona's smaller body. She was sure, if she would close her eyes, she would be able to feel the blonde's skin beneath her fingertips. But she shouldn't think like that right now, though she really wanted to. Ever since she'd taken the first swipe through her wet folds with her tongue the last weekend, she desperately wanted to do that again.

"I really don't want to go to that meeting tomorrow afternoon. Can't Mr. Cartwright come up with a rule or something, that, because I am already suspended from school I am not allowed to even step onto the estate?" Locking eyes with Callie, she knew the brunette could read the pleading in her eyes.

"I can ask him tomorrow, if you want me to", she offered, trying to get her mind out of the gutter. "But I really think your dad is right. Only you can tell the truth about how he came on to you and kept hitting on you."

"I didn't mind the hitting", the blonde shrugged.

"Excuse me, what?", the Latina asked, brown eyes got even bigger in shock.

"Not like that, Calliope", she exhaled. "Of course it wasn't nice because I love you and I told him that we are together and everything. But the hitting thing was not the worst part. I ignored it most of the time anyways. It was harmless." Leaning in closer to the brunette, she added, "Besides, nobody holds a candle to you, love. And nothing and nobody will ever change that." Brushing her lips against the Latina's, she pulled away before her girlfriend could deepen the kiss, making her pout. And a pouting Calliope was one of the most adorable things on earth. "Don't look like that." She shot the brunette a dimpled grin and picked up the book that was lying on her pillow. "How far did you make it?"

"Uhm...", Looking down at the book still in her hands, she scanned the page for a number. Sometimes she wished, every book would stick to a pattern. Number on the outside and at the bottom were just fine, so why did people think it was necessary to put them somewhere else? "I stopped making notes a couple of pages ago and I honestly can't even remember what I read, so I don't know, 75, maybe... you? I don't really like it."

"Me neither", Arizona replied without answering the Latina's question and closed the book. "And I am done for today. I can't focus."

"Yeah, me neither."

"You just told me that you made it to page 75, doesn't sound like not being able to focus at all to me", the blonde teased.

"Well, I couldn't", Callie protested, her eyes flickering down to pink lips and back up to meet blue eyes.

Noticing the change in her girlfriend's eyes and breathing, Arizona asked, "And why is that so?" If she was reading her right, Callie had something a lot more fun in mind and fun was exactly what she needed, especially that kind of fun.

"I could show you", the brunette whispered before she teasingly bit her bottom lip. "If you want me to?"

"Well, that depends..."

Tracing her fingers along the blonde's upper arm, Callie noticed the goose bumps her touch left on its way. "On what?"

"Are you staying the night? I know we usually don't on a school night, but both our parents said it would be fine for today... but you said you would think about it. And if you intend to start anything now only to leave me alone afterward, then I would have to say no, because that would just be-" Cut off by her girlfriend's lips, blue eyes closed on their own accord, enjoying the feeling too much to push Callie away.

Pulling away and licking her lips because Arizona's kisses always tasted like heaven, she waited for the blonde to open her eyes. "I'll stay", she promised. "But we have to make sure I get up in time for school."

"No problem", Arizona grinned. "I'll just kick you out", she joked.

Lightly swatting the girl's arm, Callie protested, "Hey! You wouldn't do that to me."

"I wouldn't", the blonde agreed and shook her head. "So... about the thing you wanted to show me..?", she trailed off.

Humming, she pulled the book out from under Arizona's hands. "We don't need them for that."

"I like your idea already ."

"But there's more we don't need..."

"And what would that be?", she asked innocently and moved a little to lay on her back.

"Clothes. No clothes would be perfect, actually." Closing her eyes for a moment, she gulped at the picture that flashed before her eyes.

"So... I should take these off?"

Brown orbs flew open again when Arizona's words ripped her out of her day dream. Shaking her head a little too eager, she stopped her girlfriend's hands from moving any further. "No. I want to do that."

"Okay", she smiled. "What do you want me to do then?"

"Be quiet?",she teased.

"Oh ha ha."

"I'm sorry. I just... I want to undress you, okay? I want to do all of it."

Smiling seductively and almost stealing Callie's senses, she answered, "Be my guest",and waited for the brunette to start.

"God, you're so beautiful", she gushed and leaned down. "Most", she kissed her cheek,"beautiful girl", her lips moved over the blonde's jaw line," in the world." Finally connecting their lips, she couldn't hold back the sigh. She was so addicted to Arizona's kisses, whether it were light pecks or deep, tongue-mingling kisses, she couldn't get enough of them. She couldn't get enough of everything that was Arizona, period.

"Ugh", she groaned when Callie's tongue swiped over her lips, seeking entrance she happily granted her girlfriend. And when two muscles met and the brunette slowly lowered her body on top of hers, she moaned even more. They just fit. Their hearts, their bodies, their tongues. Everything. There was no one better for her. Breathing out a soft "Calliope" when full lips had pulled away only to kiss down her throat, her hands entangled themselves in dark brown hair.

"Can you sit up for me?", she asked and shifted herself, all the while studying the blonde's face. Blue eyes were still closed, her lips parted to make way for the moans and groans. And it stayed that way when the small body beneath her sat up. Her hands slid down over two perky breasts – she could already feel the nipples begging for her touch – over a toned stomach and finally grabbing the hem. "Arms up", she instructed, already tugging at the fabric.

Complying willingly, pale arms raised above her head and not a minute later, the shirt was gone and one hand already moved to her back to unclasp her bra. The time where they needed both hands to do that was long gone. "Easy, Calliope." Her breath was quickening, making it harder for her to talk.

"You want me to go slower?", the Latina asked and raised her right eyebrow when her girlfriend's body arched into her touch. "Huh?"

"No."

She grinned. "That's what I thought." Cupping both breasts with her hands and kneading them, she let her thumbs caress the hard buds, relishing in the gasp that spilled over pink lips. Lowering her face to take one of them into her mouth, she groaned at the taste of the blonde's skin and circled it with her tongue.

"Calliope", Arizona pressed out as she felt teeth slightly grazing at the skin around the pebbled nipple.

Looking up, she found flushed cheeks and a fast raising chest and the sight was enough for the heat between her legs to skyrocket. To be as hot as her girlfriend should be...illegal, definitely illegal, she thought. The soft tug on her hair let her come back to reality and she saw blue eyes looking down at her, a pink bottom lip trapped between her teeth.

"Kiss me?", she pleaded.

Immediately complying, Callie pushed herself up to be eye to eye with the blonde. Noses touched before lips met and both moaned when tongues started to dance again, more frenzied than before. Their teeth clashed a couple of times, something that only happened when one of them was in a hurry, and right now, it was definitely Arizona. With her hands on tan cheeks, she held Callie in place, not letting her pull away to breathe or speak. Only when her own lungs screamed for oxygen, she let go of the brunette's face, both girls instantly gasping for air.

The Latina recovered faster from the lack of oxygen and moved down the blonde's body before she would hold her back again, kissing her stomach all the time. Unbuttoning her jeans and pulling it down long slender legs, she placed feather light kisses on Arizona's ankles, shins, knees– every spot she could reach that moment. Her fingers dancing up her legs, along the inside of her thighs until they met the fabric of the blonde's panties. Feeling Arizona's wetness through the material, she thought her heart missed a beat or two and her breath hitched in time with her girlfriend's.

"Calliope", came a soft moan. "Please..."

Not one to deny her anything and most definitely not able to wait any longer, she tugged at the panties and pulled them over the blonde's ass, Arizona helping her by raising her hips and kicking it off with her feet. The scent that filled her nostrils was almost too much and she was still a couple of inches away from her girlfriend's center.

"Not fair", Arizona breathed out.

"Not fair?"

"Too m-m-many clothes... you... you said no clothes... you're still... d-d-dressed." Panting that hard already really did something to her ability to talk.

"Oh, that. You want me to change that?"

"Uh-huh", she nodded.

Her shirt and bra were gone in a split second, as well as her pants and panties. "Better?",she asked.

"Much", Arizona nodded again and gasped when Callie nestled down between her legs, the same spot she'd left to get rid of all the clothing.

Pushing pale legs apart, she inched closer and closer to where she wanted to be, leaving kisses here and there on both legs, not really following a pattern. Thighs next to her head began to quiver and she knew Arizona was about to combust. When she leaned down, she inhaled her girlfriend's scent, exhaling through her mouth and biting her lip in anticipation.

Flinching a little when cool air was breathed against her clit, her hand reached out, silently begging for Callie to take it. And that's what the Latina did. Entwining their fingers and holding on tight to the blonde's hand when she kissed along soft folds, her tongue peeking out to lick a throbbing bundle of nerves.

"GOD, YES!", Arizona yelped, completely forgetting that her parents might be still awake and in the living room.

Callie didn't care. She let the muscle swirl around her girlfriend's clit, moaning at the taste and wetness she caught with the tip of her tongue. Fingernails started to dig into her skin, leaving crescent marks on the back of her hand when she let the flat of her tongue glide over the nerve ending again and again. Hips began to buck against her face and in the Latina's eyes, there was nothing hotter than Arizona wanting more. Wrapping her lips around the bud and sucking softly on it, she felt the blonde jerk forward. Her hand was in a death grip, like her life depended on it. Legs started to close around her head, but before she could even think of pushing them apart again, Arizona writhed and squirmed beneath her, her hips bucking wilder with every passing second.

She felt the tingles in her lower abdomen. Callie's tongue was a God-sent gift. Pressing her head into the pillow when a loud moan dared to leave her mouth, she tried her best to keep herself from screaming it out. But then she felt something new and all her efforts were out of the window when a gasp turned into a groan and finally into a loud moan of the Latina's name, "CALLIOPE!"

Callie sensed that Arizona was very close, so she sucked a little harder and let her tongue collide with the blonde's clit a couple of times more before the petite body underneath her stiffened and another series of moans and cries left pink lips.

Crashing headfirst over the edge into a powerful orgasm, one hand clenched the bed sheets, the other one tightened its grip on the Latina's hand once more. Because this one was more intense and longer than any peak she'd reached before.

She slowly pulled away and let her girlfriend come down from her high, wiped her mouth and chin, and then she crawled up the blonde's body to lay down beside her. Waiting a few minutes for blue eyes to flutter open, she stroke golden, lightly sweaty hair out of her face, noticing that Arizona looked utterly spent, but also completely happy.

"Fuck", she finally breathed out, her body still shaking with aftershocks, making Callie moan.

Peppering the blonde's face with light kisses, she whispered, "You are so, _so _beautiful, Arizona."

"Mhmm... where'd you learn that?"

"What?"

"Whatever it was you were doing... that was..."

"Oh that. I read about it", she admitted, feeling the blush creeping up onto her cheeks instantly.

One blue eye peeked open. "You read about it?"

Avoiding to look into her girlfriend's eye she answered, "Yes?"

"Well, read away because that was... there are no words to describe how amazing this was."

"Not even turtely awesome?", Callie teased. Arizona had seriously started to use that little sentence on a daily basis. It was cute, though. But it was only cute when Arizona said it. It just fit her.

"Calliope, believe me, not even turtely awesome is awesome enough to say how you made me feel. "She wanted to move, but every attempt had her slumping down on the mattress. Her body was simply too groggy to even sit up. "Ugh, I can't move."

"You're complaining about that?", Callie asked, snuggling closer to the blonde and loving the feeling of skin on skin contact.

"Yeah, I need something to drink and the bottle is on my desk."

"You rest. I'll get it for you", she replied with a smile and stole a kiss from Arizona's lips before climbing out of bed to get her girlfriend the water she apparently needed to survive.

"Calliope?", Arizona said, watching Callie's naked body walk through her room.

"Yes?"

"I love you", she finished with a smile.

Feeling her heart flutter in her chest because of all the butterflies her girlfriend's declaration still gave her, she smiled her megawatt smile and replied, "I love you too."

xxx

Sitting in the principal's office, baby blue eyes were focused on the clock on the wall, daring it to stop ticking any longer. She wished for the power to stop the time or make it run faster and faster. Controlling it either way would be perfectly right now, because she had still five more minutes to wait until the clock would strike 3pm and Callie could get out of class to join her and she really needed her girlfriend beside her before the 'enemies' would show up. But then again, if she would indeed be able to skip some minutes or hours, they could be at home and this stupid meeting would be in the past already. She simply didn't want to be here. She'd rather be back in bed, cuddling naked with her hot girlfriend, feeling Callie writhe and squirm under her touches – she would freeze that moment to last forever. Or just cuddling. Or anywhere else instead of here would be fine. Unfortunately, she didn't have any special powers, so all she could do was waiting for the other five chairs to be occupied by her girlfriend and Liam, and that prick Lucas and his family.

"Stop fidgeting, Dimples", Daniel Robbins said, making his daughter freeze a couple of seconds. He knew she was nervous and he also knew she didn't want to be here.

"It's either fidgeting or chewing my nails, which Calliope would kill me for because she just painted them yesterday...", Arizona argued and went back to kneading her fingers hard, the deep purple nail polish shimmering in the light of the lamp.

"It will all be okay, you'll see." He hated to see his daughter like this. He couldn't protect her from every harm in the world, as horrible as it was in the eyes of a father. But he could at least be there and have her back.

Looking first to Mr. Cartwright who tried to seem busy signing some papers, and then up to her father, to see the face that always meant protection and home to her. Forcing herself to think like the man that raised her, she smiled, "I really hope you are right, daddy." Her eyes finding the clock again. "Two more minutes", she breathed out just as a knock filled the office.

"Come in", Mr. Cartwright answered, startling Arizona because of the loudness of his voice.

She literally stopped breathing the moment the door opened, her eyes lowered to the ground, fearing whoever would step in would not be Callie. But when she recognized the brunette's shoes, blue orbs moved up along those gorgeous legs in that skin tight jeans and the stunning torso covered by her favorite hoodie. "Calliope", she exhaled in relief.

"Hey", the Latina smiled and sat down beside the blonde, hesitating shortly before she tugged golden hair behind Arizona's ear and kissed her cheek. She could smell her girlfriend's favorite shampoo, a mixture of lemon fruits. She loved that scent on the blonde. "They're not here yet?"

"No. Thank God. I really don't wanna face the dev- uhm... them", she corrected, feeling her father's glare. "How was school?"

"Boring without you. And we learned something new in Math, I'll show you this afternoon, if that's okay?", she asked Daniel who only nodded in response.

"Don't ask him. I'm not grounded anymore", Arizona grinned as she pointed at her father with her thumb. But her grin faded in an instant when the door opened again – this time without a warning knock – and in walked the reason they were all there today.

"Hello, Mrs. Grencher, Mr. Grencher, Lucas", the principal stood up and walked around his desk to welcome the three of them, keeping his polite behavior as best as he could.

"Mr. Cartwright", the man nodded and then turned to Daniel, offering his hand, "Colonel Robbins."

"Good afternoon, Mr. Grencher", Daniel answered, his lips in a tight smile as he noticed the way Mrs. Grencher was eying his daughter and Calliope. His stance widened and he squared his shoulders, ready to step in front of the girls if it was necessary. "Mrs. Grencher, Lucas."

Knowing better than to be impolite, Arizona stood up and held out her hand as well but didn't look at the adults. Her focus was solely on Lucas who looked pretty beat up for taking only one punch. There were bruises under both of his eyes, the right one darker than the left and his nose was swollen. She must have hit the right point.

"You must be Arizona", Lucas' mom said, ignoring the girl's hand and the others in the room. "Perfect. Now you can apologize to Lucas for breaking his nose."

"What? No! Why would I", the blonde protested and stepped back. But she was stopped by a hand that grabbed her by her upper arm, the fingers clasping around it in a tight grip. "Ow, let go!"

"You will apologize to my son", the woman snarled.

"And you will let go of my girlfriend", Callie stepped in and swatted the woman's hand away, surprising everybody by acting so untypically impulsive.

"Mrs. Grencher, please sit down. We're here to talk and we're all supposed to stay calm and to hear Arizona's side of the story. We-yes?" he asked when yet another knock interrupted him. "Ah, Mister Menken."

"Sorry for being a little late. I got stuck at school."

Sending the man a smile, the principal said, "You're just in time, Mr. Menken, don't worry." Frankly, he was glad someone interrupted the scene. "Now, please take a seat so we can start."

"Mister Cartwright, I hope you make sure that this...girl apologizes to Lucas and that she gets punished for punching him", Mrs. Grencher started even before she'd sat down.

"I only defended the one I love!", Arizona reasoned.

"How dare you call this love? It's a sin. I can't believe your families are okay with you going to hell."

"Mrs. Grencher-"

Cutting of the principal, Lucas' mother continued, "Do you not want to see your daughters again once we all go to heaven?"

"Who said you will go there?", Arizona asked, speaking again before she thought things through.

"No", Daniel said. "I want my daughter to be happy and to be honest, I never believed in heaven and hell."

"Neither do my wife and I", Liam agreed.

"Who we love does not decide whether we go to heaven or hell, if there are such things like afterlife and everything", the Latina spoke and took Arizona's hand in hers. "People are different. Even all the people in here are different. You may believe in God and preached your son all about it. You even gave him all the crap about the bible – which is just a book written and translated by men. How do you know they didn't make a mistake while translating it? You don't." She squeezed the blonde's hand before she looked over to Lucas and his mother. "If there was a God, he would make sure that this world was a perfect place to live in. But it's not. There are wars and people are starving. There's sickness no medicine can heal. There are innocents sitting in cells because some judges and jurors thought they were guilty. This world is not perfect, so I just can't believe in God. I can't believe that there is someone up above making people suffer just because it's in his hands or because it's justice. If there is, why are there Orphans? My parents were 'good Christians' and yet they died when I was six years old. I was a child, what did I do to deserve to be the only one surviving a car crash that took my whole family away from me? If there is a God, maybe he needs to do some catching up with this century." Finishing her rant and leaving everybody else speechless, she pointed at the boy, "You deserved that punch and you know it. Even if Arizona was not taken, she said no and you should have respected that. And yes, I am a Latina, but that doesn't make me any less human than you."

"How can you-"

"Honey, I think you said enough for today", Mr. Grencher cut his wife off, visibly annoyed by her behavior now.

"But-"

"Mary", he warned. "Your name is Calliope, isn't it?"

Nodding, the Latina tried to hold back the smirk from finding out that Lucas' mother was called Mary. Fitting.

"You are pretty smart and articulate for your age" he complimented her with a smile.

"Thank you, Sir, but it's really just how I see this world. There are too many bad things happening. Still, some people believe in God and I would never think any less of them because of their belief. My father, as well as Liam and Susan taught me to respect people the way they are. We are lucky that our families not only preach those words but act on them as well. But that does not give other people the right to call us sinners or sluts or lesbian bitches just because of who we love." She felt her father's hand on her back, knowing immediately that he was proud of her.

"If you ever decide to become a lawyer, I would be lucky to hire you", Mr. Grencher joked. "You do have a way with words." Then he looked over to the blonde who had been very quiet ever since the brunette had started to talk. But he did not miss the look she was giving the Latina. "Arizona, we are sorry that my son caused that much trouble."

"No, we are not!", Mary Grencher insisted.

"Yes, we are", he said, "her whole family is Catholic, which should not be an excuse by any means. But it might help you understand where my wife comes from? Lucas is usually a really nice teenager and he understands that he overreacted and was wrong. Isn't that right, Lucas?"

The boy nodded and mumbled something.

"What was that?"

"I am sorry", he repeated, this time loud enough.

"Me too", Arizona grumbled, "for breaking your nose. Although you deserved it."

"Dimples", Daniel said, shaking his head at the stubbornness of his girl.

"It's okay. I think he learned a lot from it. Nevertheless, I think we'll look for another school. I don't want another meeting like this. And I trust you take care of the other boys as well, Mr. Cartwright. Lucas will give you their names later."

The principal nodded. Yesterday, Lucas refused to spill any beans, talking about not wanting to be the Judas, so there had been nothing he could have done. "I will. And I am sorry that it had to end like this. Lucas is a smart kid and we were glad to have him in our school swim team. But I understand your decision."

"Thank you." He stood up and shook everybody's hand before he walked to the door, but then he turned around. "Think about it. Words are a strong power if they are used wisely." Then he left the room and while the rest of his family followed him – his wife not even saying goodbye – the rest was left behind, beyond stunned about everything that just happened.

"Now, that was easier than I thought. And you didn't even have to tell what happened", Callie grinned. When nobody said a word, her eyes flickered back and forth between her father, Arizona and Daniel. "What? What's wrong?"

"BAAM", the blonde burst out. "You were amazing! Outstanding. You just flashed them with your words about how this world is everything but created perfection and that there could be no God because then everything would be perfect. You just... I love you so _so_ much!" Jumping off the chair she flung her arms around the Latina's neck and crashed their lips together with force, parting when they heard three coughs. Hiding the blush, Arizona said, "But you can't become a lawyer."

"I can't?"

"No. We have this whole plan. College, Med School, internship and residency and we said we're doing that together so you could become even more obsessed with bones and I could help the tiny people to get better", Arizona listed everything they'd talked about one night. "So, you becoming a lawyer is a deal breaker."

"Okay", Callie laughed. "Point taken."

"I know. Can we go home now?"

"I don't see a reason for you to stay here", Mr. Cartwright answered.

"Perfect, because I really need to go to the toilette." And with that, she left the principal's office, yelling a 'goodbye' when she was halfway down the corridor. But before Daniel could apologize for his daughter's behavior, she was back, talking too fast for anybody to catch some intelligible words and pulling Callie along with her. Speeding around the corner, they stopped in front of their lockers.

"Addison?"

"Oh, hey guys", the redhead smiled. She was wearing gloves, had a bucket standing next to her on a chair and a sponge in her hand. Her hair tied back into a messy ponytail and her normally perfect clothes were hidden under a gown from art class.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm shopping", she deadpanned. "What does it look like I am doing? I'm making sure that those nasty words are gone by tomorrow!"

Both girls approached their friend, simultaneously pulling her into a hug.

"Okay guys, you're squishing me", she pressed out.

"Oh Addie, you're the best friend."

"You notice that now?", she laughed. "But now my surprise is ruined.

"No", Callie answered and shook her head. "It's perfect.

* * *

AN: I was asked if I would be open to the thought of making TIAM into an availabe e-book... would you be interested?


	31. Important Note

Due to my stupidness and my try to get ahead of work, I mixed up the updates and the chapter. I fixed it a few minutes ago and the chapter 29 is replaced, so you can go back and read the right chapter...

I am so sorry for my mistake. I wanted to upload the next chapter tomorrow, orginally, but I will be super busy all day so I thought I could get a little more work done tonight... yeah... that didn't work. SORRY!


	32. Life is a Road

**AN: still so sorry for the confusion with the past two chapters :/ I guess I checked three times now for this chapter. **

* * *

**Chapter - Life is a Road**

Pulling up into the drive way of her home, Arizona parked their car and looked to her left, smirking when she saw that Callie had still a grumpy pout on her lips. "Don't be cranky, Calliope", she grinned.

"Hmpf", the Latina huffed.

"Come on. Please. Smile? For me?"

"No", she stated gruffly.

"Calliope-"

"What do you want from me? You barged into my room on – on a Friday night, might I add - gave me about five seconds to put on some clothes when I was already in my PJ's, ready for a cozy night with my hot blonde girlfriend. And you didn't even tell me what you're up to before you blindfolded me and dragged me out of my house", she complained. "And now I am freezing."

"I gave you at least three minutes, Calliope", the blonde argued, "and I told you it's a surprise."

"I don't like surprises."

"Calliope", Arizona sighed. "Please, try to be at least a little excited? I spent my two suspended days planning this, so please, act like my gorgeous girlfriend and not like the girl that came home from practice this afternoon. I understand that you had a shitty day, but we all have one from time to time. And maybe you like what I have for you. And if you don't, I even promise to bring you home, deal?"

Hesitating and tilting her head from one side to the other, the brunette thought about the offer. She'd had a day from hell that started already when she'd woken up this morning and bumped into the bathroom door because she'd been beyond tired. She just needed the weekend. Two days without any matches or swimming competitions and homework. Two days off to get rid of all the stress they'd had because of Lucas and the gang – who by the way got suspended from school for two weeks as well. "Fine", she replied and turned her head to face Arizona although she wasn't able to see her through the scarf the blonde had put over her eyes. "But this better be good."

"Trust me, it's more than good", Arizona answered with a smile, confident that Callie's mood would change in a few minutes.

"So, what now?"

"Now, you wait here and look beautiful. I'll come back in two minutes to get you, okay?"

"Seriously?", the brunette asked.

"Yes, seriously, love." Pecking the cheek of her girlfriend, she unbuckled her seat belt and left the car, leaving Callie indeed alone.

"Terrific", she breathed out and crossed her arms over her chest. She had no clue what Arizona could be up to. They always did little things for each other from time to time. Their birthdays and anniversaries were exceptions, of course, but Callie couldn't think of any reason for Arizona to have to plan something for two days. There was nothing around the corner. No big celebration she could have missed because all there special days were during summer. Or had Arizona started to celebrate the half year marks as well? Starting to count the months in her head, she didn't hear the door of the passenger's seat was opened.

"Stop doing the math, Calliope. You didn't miss a special day", Arizona startled her girlfriend, knowing her all too well.

"How did you-? I wasn't- I didn't- I was just- I..."

"You did. And it's super cute. But today, I just wanted to do something for you, okay? For being the best girlfriend in the world and for putting pigheaded people into their place with brilliant speeches. And because you are beautiful and hot. And I love to see you smile and I know you will smile. And because I love you", she took a breath. "Okay, rambling much, I know and it's turtely a random order. Clearly, my love is reason number one", she winked, although Callie still couldn't see her, but maybe she could hear the smile in her voice. Leaning over the brunette's body to loosen her seat belt as well, she came face to face with full lips as she stood back up and was immediately drawn to her. If Callie's kisses were a drug, she would happily admit to be an addict. And a hopeless case when it came down to becoming clean.

"What's wrong?", Callie asked, confused that the blonde didn't move or talk anymore.

Closing the small gap between them, the teenager connected their lips in a soft kiss, whimpering into it when the Latina immediately parted her lips to welcome her tongue. After staying like this for a couple of minutes, Arizona reluctantly pulled away. "Not that I want to rush you, but there's is something waiting for us in the backyard", she whispered.

Sighing, Callie got out of the car, hearing the door close behind her and the low click as Arizona locked it. She felt fingers brushing over the fabric along the inside of her arm, then suavely grazing her palm until they finally locked with her own. The touch, as gentle as it was, sent shivers down her spine. "Geez, Arizona, it's freezing out here."

"Don't be a baby, you'll warm up in a bit", the blonde chuckled and started walking, making sure to watch Callie's steps as well as hers – she really didn't want her to trip and twist her ankle or hit her head in the fall – they made in to the backyard.

"What's that sound?"

"What sound?" the blonde played.

"This crackling."

"You'll see, just a few more steps, okay?"

Nodding, she let herself be led a few more feet before Arizona stopped. "Can I take this of now?", the brunette asked, her hands already flying to the back of her head to undo the knot.

"Close your eyes... please?", Arizona asked and stopped her girlfriend's arms.

"Do I have to?"

"Humor me, Calliope", she sang and waited.

"Fine", she huffed once again. "Eyes closed. What now?"

"Promised?"

"I promise, Arizona. Now, can we please take this of?"

Stepping behind the beautiful Latina, Arizona undid the knot and carefully pulled it down. She stood up on her toes to rest her chin on her girlfriend's shoulder and whispered, "You can open your eyes now."

Blinking a couple of times to give her eyes time to adjust, the Latina took in the sight before her. There was a fire rustling, illuminating the tent that was built on the ground. "What is all of this?"

"Well, that glowing thing is called fire and that over there next to the tree trunk – you know what a tree trunk is, right – is a tent", Arizona teased, getting rolling brown eyes in response. "I see, not funny."

"No..."

"Well, the fire is to keep us warm. Don't worry, dad made it, it's safer than any other bonfire he ever made on the beach. And the trunk is for us to sit on." Her arms still felt a little sore from hauling it into the middle of the backyard – with a little help from her dad and Timmy, since it had been in front of the fence ever since she was little. Now she knew why nobody ever tried to move it. It would have been perfect if they were indeed on the beach though, but this place worked just as fine for now. "The tent is to sleep in. I could have used the tree house but that would just have been stealing your idea. Plus, the tree house has a roof and a roof would only block our view into the sky 'cause tonight there's-"

"Shooting stars", Callie remembered, her face lighting up with a big smile. She'd told Arizona about tonight two or three weeks ago. There was something magical about shooting stars and it was the first time they could be stargazing all night since it was Friday. "You didn't forget."

Smiling at the brunette, she took her hands. "I never forget the things you tell me, Calliope. At least not the ones that matter to you."

"Thank you."

"Everything we could possibly need is already in the tent... so... am I forgiven for practically dragging you out of bed?", she asked, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Of course you are", the Latina replied, still looking up into the night sky. "And I am sorry for being cranky. What time is it?"

"It's okay. You're forgiven too." She looked down at her watch and replied, "We're just in time. It should start in about ten minutes. Make yourself comfortable, I'll get the blankets." She let go of the Latina's hands, but Callie held on to her. "What?"

"You're amazing, do you know that?"

"I am not, Calliope", she answered with a blush forming on her cheeks.

"You are", she insisted and pulled the blonde closer, claiming pink lips in a soft and slow kiss.

"Thank you."

"You are welcome." And with that she pulled away and crawled into the tent to get the blankets, a jug with hot tea and a bowl with some marshmallows in it to roast over the fire. She smiled to herself. She knew Callie would love it and the shining brown eyes of her girlfriend were affirmation enough for her. And of course, the beaming smile. God, how much she loved that smile, even more when she was the one who put it on the brunette's face.

"Did you get lost in there?", the Latina's voice rang through the cold air.

"Nope", she answered just as she closed the tent again. Standing up, she first put a blanket around her girlfriend's shoulder before she sat down beside her.

"You really thought of everything, didn't you?"

"Hey, I had two mornings off. What else was I supposed to do? Moping around? And the outcome is almost perfect."

"It's not _almost_ perfect", Callie said. "It is perfect. You are perfect."

Blushing again, Arizona reached down to grab one of the marshmallows and pushed it on one of the sticks. "You want one?", she asked, avoiding to look into those deep brown orbs. She knew doing that now could easily be the death of her. Callie's eyes were always amazing, no matter the time of the day. But with fire reflecting in them, they were just indescribably and incredibly beautiful.

"Oh yes!", the Latina beamed, ripping Arizona out of her thoughts.

"We didn't do that in years", she said with a grin when Callie took the stick from her hand and she prepared one for herself. "It's a shame. There should be a rule to eat roasted marshmallows at least once a month."

Bursting into a fit of laughter, Callie couldn't answer immediately.

"What? There should be one!", the blonde exclaimed.

"If we'd have all the rules you wanted over the years, we wouldn't have enough days on a month to eat everything that's on the list", she chuckled.

"That's not true, Calliope", she disagreed.

"What about the rule to have one of Grandma Robbins' banoffee pies every Sunday?"

"Totally legal! Grandma's banoffee pie is the best."

"And what about the one to have pizza at least once a week, preferably on a Friday night with a movie and some popcorn for dessert?"

"Best combination ever", the blonde reasoned.

"So not the point", Callie laughed. "All I am saying is that you could easily fill a whole year with your eating schedule slash wishes and you still needed more days to get everything you want."

Pouting even more, she looked at her girlfriend. "I just know what I like the most. There's nothing wrong with that."

"I was just teasing, baby. There's nothing wrong with it. It's cute. It's who you are and like I said already, you're amazing." She leaned in and kissed the blonde's cheek, letting the soft touch linger a little longer than she usually did. "I love you."

"Hmpf", she huffed, wanting to stay at least a little mad at Callie, but she couldn't. Her gaze trailed off into the darkness when a movement in the sky caught her eyes. "Calliope!", she shrieked, rapidly patting the Latina's knee as she squealed on, "It starts!" Pools of blue widened as yet another shooting star showed up. "Oh my God, there were two already! Calliope, did you see them? It was too fast to make a wish. Did you make one?"

"Mhmm", the Latina hummed. She didn't see them, though. She was amazed by how childish and in awe Arizona looked right now. Her whole body seemed to beam and bounce in anticipation. Right now, she was able to see some features on the blonde's face that reminded her of the little girl that ran around with curly pigtails. Sure, she'd changed, they both did. They grew up. But in that moment, she could clearly see her former best friend's face as they entered Disneyland. She knew from the start that Arizona was special. The moment she managed to make her smile had set the first stone for a lovely friendship. And they were still best friends, but yet they were so much more. Lovers. Soul mates. Destined to be with each other. And she loved Arizona with all her heart, with everything that she was. "You are breathtakingly beautiful, Arizona", she whispered.

Turning her face to look at Callie, she bit her bottom lip. "Uhm, the shooting stars are up there, not in my face, Calliope", she giggled and pointed up into the sky with her index finger. "If you miss them, you can't make a wish."

"I don't need to make a wish." Cupping the blonde's left cheek, she added, "Everything I could ever wish for is already here."

Her vision got blurry as tears filled her eyes. Her fingers let go of the stick making the marshmallow fall into the fire with a sizzling sound, but she couldn't care less. Drops spilled over the brim of her eyes and she had to swallow hard to get rid of the lump that was forming in her throat. "Calliope", she finally breathed out and crashed her lips against the Latina's. Brown eyes closing the same second as blue ones when the blonde poured everything she felt for her girlfriend into the kiss. Pale fingers paved their way into thick dark locks as she opened her mouth to deepen the kiss. Both not caring if they'd miss only a couple of shooting stars or all of them. The brunette's words shot right into Arizona's heart, her whole body tingling with the feeling they'd elicited. "I love you", she rushed between kisses, her voice thick with emotions. "So _so so so_ much."

Not able to reply properly since Arizona wouldn't let go of her lips, she moaned her answer into the blonde's mouth, knowing that right now, there were no more words needed.

xxx

Slowly walking up the stairs of the Robbin's house after Barbara had let her in, Callie inhaled deeply and closed her eyes for a few seconds. It was like coming home after weeks of being away, although this was not the house she lived in and she had not been the one away from home. But Arizona had been gone for three weeks and now she was back – since 3.30AM this morning, according to the text message she received last night – and probably still asleep. It didn't matter though. Awake or not. All Callie wanted was to be close to the blonde. She needed to be close to her. She needed to feel her, needed to breathe in her scent and most importantly, she couldn't go another hour or two without seeing her. So, when she finally stood in front of her girlfriend's door, she knocked – just in case – and stepped in when she didn't get any response.

At first, all the brunette saw was Arizona's suitcase and some of her belongings carelessly tugged out of it. Shoes and shirts were scattered on the ground, as well as some toiletries. She smiled and shook her head. Her girlfriend would most likely never change. But then she looked to the bed, and there she was. The girl she loved. Literally lying spread like an eagle with messy blonde curls sprawled out on the pillow and a naked shoulder peeking out from under the blanket.

Sitting down on the bed, careful not to unintentionally squish some parts of Arizona under her, she leaned down and brushed a few golden strands out of her pretty face before she ghosted a kiss on the pale cheek. The blonde didn't even stir. She was dead to the world, which was more than understandable. Originally, Arizona would have been back around eight, nine at the very latest to celebrate past midnight and into the brunette's birthday. But the bus that was supposed to bring the blonde back from her summer swim camp had a flat tire on its way to get the team and was stuck in traffic on their way back. And she knew her girlfriend; there was no way she would have gotten any sleep while being on the bus. Quite the opposite, actually. She had probably partied and sang along with all the other girls and Daniel had even said that she was wide awake when they picked her up from the bus station. But then she'd barely made it upstairs, he'd told her, due to utter exhaustion.

Caressing the blonde's shoulder with feather light kisses, she reveled in the taste of her girlfriend's skin. "Arizona", she whispered. Nothing. As full lips trailed a way along every inch of skin she could reach without moving too much, she felt a light shiver going through the small body on the bed and noticed the erupting goose bumps. "Arizona", she whispered again, this time directly hovering over the blonde's ear.

"Mhmm", the blonde hummed, still not moving though.

"Wake up, pretty girl", Callie husked and kissed some more exposed skin.

"Mhmmsleeeeeeeep", she growled.

"It's close to noon. I'd say you slept enough", she teased, really wanting Arizona to wake up now. She had no patience whatsoever today. Because she had big news. Big terrifying news.

"Tired", the blonde stated and squeezing her eyes close to block out any light. And even though she recognized it was Callie who was talking to her and trying to wake her, she felt like she could sleep the whole day.

"I know you are. But you can't sleep all day. Your father wants you down for lunch", she lied. Daniel, despite being the Colonel and everything, wouldn't be that mean. Well, he would if Arizona was ruining her sleep schedule and if there would be school tomorrow. But there wouldn't. They graduated from high school with flying colors and now college was waiting for them, but it was still a good three weeks to go until college would even start.

"Mhmmcan", she murmured, burying her face more into the pillow.

"But baby, today's...", Callie trailed off and waited, counting down from ten, giving the sleepy brain of her girlfriend time to wake up.

"It's your birthday!", Arizona shot up when her senses kicked in, startling Callie – who only made it to number three. Wide awake now, she flung her arms around the Latina's neck and crashed her lips against the full ones of her girlfriend. When they fell backwards, making the blonde end up on top of Callie, both moaned in appreciation. "Happy", she kissed her left cheek, "happy", she sad anew and kissed her right cheek, "birthday." Finally connecting their mouths again, both sighing into the kiss.

When Callie needed to breathe she turned her face and said, "Now you're awake, huh?"

Nodding and blushing, Arizona hummed and nuzzled her face into the brunette's neck. "You're eighteen now."

"I know", Callie laughed. "Kinda comes with the whole thing of growing up and getting older."

"No, you're eighteen, you're... what are you wearing?", she asked curiously when her fingers made contact with the satin fabric.

"A blouse", she answered.

"Is that new?"

"Uhm... yeah... I needed it for today."

"Today? What's with today?" Getting back up on her knees she took in the sight before her. Callie's hair hung loose over her shoulder in its natural big waves. There was a light touch of mascara, giving her lashes the extra swing and making her eyes irresistibly big. She could see a slight hint of gloss on her lips as well. A white blouse covered her torso and her hot legs were hidden beneath black slacks. "Those new too?"

Breathing in, she answered with a shaky 'yes' and closed her eyes to not stare bluntly at her girlfriend's naked upper body. Oh God, the sight of Arizona's perky breasts really did something to her libido. "I had an appointment this morning."

"What appointment? You didn't tell me about any appointment", she pouted and reached for the blanket to cover herself.

"Because I didn't know until two days ago", Callie told her. "And I met with a lawyer."

"Lawyer? Why do you... oh my God. You're eighteen now. It was about your parents' heritage, wasn't it?" She chew on her inner bottom lip when the brunette nodded again. "Shit. I wanted to be there for you. I promised you to be there. You know I never break a promise, you know me. I didn't know it was today. If I had known, I would have been there, I-"

Silenced by a finger on her lips, she finally stopped rambling and blue eyes looked up to meet soulful brown orbs. "It's okay. Like I said, I didn't know either and it was pretty early and since you weren't home before four in the morning, I thought I'd let you sleep some more."

"Howait?", Arizona said against the finger on her lips, making both chuckle and Callie pull away because she didn't get any of that. "How was it?"

"Uhm... shocking sums it up pretty much, I guess."

"I'm gonna need a little more here", she teased and sat back on her heels. Taking Callie's hand in hers, she softly stroke over the back with her thumb. But the Latina didn't say anything. Instead she pulled a folded sheet of paper out of the right pocket of her slacks and held it out for Arizona to take it. "What's that?"

"Open it", she rasped, because she didn't know how to say this out loud.

"Huh?", Arizona wondered, yet she reached for the paper and unfolded it. Blue eyes went wide in shock; it was pretty much the same reaction and expression Callie had had not even two hours ago. "HOLY... Holy shit, Calliope... that's... that's millions!", she burst out once she found the words.

"More like billions", the brunette corrected her and watched the eyes of her girlfriend widening again. Then her favorite pools of baby blue flickered down to the numbers, most likely counting the 0's, just like she had done a couple of times. First she thought she'd counted wrong. Then she thought her eyes were betraying her. But the lawyer had confirmed it by announcing the number.

"Holy... you're loaded!"

"I am, I guess."

"You guess? Calliope, that's over _twelve billion_ dollars, and in my eyes, that's most definitely a definition for being loaded."

She'd known her family was not poor, but she'd never expected that much money. Not in a billion years. And frankly, she didn't even care about the money. Sure, it made some things easier, like going to College and to Med School afterwards, but the important things were always things money couldn't buy. "Okay", she agreed quietly.

"Hey, what's wrong?", Arizona asked, noticing the hesitation in her girlfriend's voice. Cupping a tan cheek, she added, "I know you, something's on your mind."

"I got the houses", Callie answered immediately without beating around the bush.

"Houses?"

"We had a small beach house in Miami. Well, have. I have, I guess. It's weird. I just turned eighteen and all of a sudden, I have all this money I don't really want and two houses where I'm not going to live in."

"You're not?"

"No", she said and shook her head to emphasize her answer. "It was my home. Once. But _was_ is exactly the key word here. My home's here now. With Liam and Susan. Home's where you are. I have not that much memories of the beach house... I think it's nice there. I remember that Aria loved it, she never wanted to leave when we were there. But what if I don't like it? And about my parents' house? It's too big for me... or even us. It would even be too big if we all moved there. And the money, I-"

"Calliope", Arizona said softly. "It's yours. You don't have to explain to me what you're going to do with it. If you want to keep the beach house, I'd say, I'm in." Grinning at her girlfriend, she continued, "I get your worries about your parents' house. But it's not theirs anymore, as devastating as it still is. It's yours. So, you get to decide what you want to do with it."

"I think I want, no I _need_ to go there...", the Latina said.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

She nodded and fought against the memories.

"I'll be there." She pulled the brunette in and wrapped her arms around her, knowing that Callie needed the comfort. "You just tell me when and I'll be there, okay?", she whispered, rubbing her hands over Callie's back in soothing circles.

"Not today", the brunette sniffed and pulled away when she was sure she managed to keep the tears from spilling. "Not today. Today, I just want it to be us. You and me. No money. No houses. Just you and me, a lot of talking and catching up and kissing. Can we do that?"

"Of course we can", Arizona answered with a smile. "But I want to take you out tonight. Nothing fancy. Just a movie night at the cinema. Today starts the new Avengers movie and I thought you might wanted to see it so I told daddy to get the tickets for us... though you could turtely buy the whole cinema", she joked.

"A cinema sounds nice", Callie went along. "Seriously, what am I supposed to do with all that money?"

"Mhmm, you could travel... aaand... study without the need of working double shifts at some dirty diner. You could donate some of it... or get a puppy... or go shopping", she pointed out and counted with her fingers. "There's a lot you can do, but again, you don't have to make a decision now. And whatever you decide, I'll have your back as long as you still want me as your girlfriend."

Raising one of her eyebrows. "That will never ever change."

"Good, I just wanted to make sure you're not turning into a snob already." She nudged Callie's nose with hers before she kissed her lightly. "Because I really really love the Calliope I know."

"And she loves you just as much and no amount of money in the world will ever change that."

"Perfect", Arizona breathed out, capturing Callie's lips once again and moving her hands along her arms to guide both of them down onto the mattress, with her on top of the Latina again. Three weeks were a long time. Make that three weeks apart from the one you love and it feels like three months without being able to kiss her, touch her, hold her. "This", she tugged at the fabric of the blouse and went over to fumble with one of the bottoms, "is really nice but I think you agree when I say that, right now, it needs to go."

"Agreed", the Latina panted.

"Good, because we definitely need to even out the play field." And with a smug grin on her face, she took off one article of clothes after the other, starting with the blouse and continuing with the slacks. When Callie was just in her panties, she smiled even wider and relished in the contact of skin to skin when she pressed their bodies together. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too." Gasping for air after the first roll of the blonde's hips, Callie pulled her down for a hot kiss and it took mere seconds for both of them to get lost in each other, completely forgetting about the world outside Arizona's bedroom.

xxx

After they had spent a few good hours catching up, physically and through talking – telling each other what happened, Arizona had dragged Callie out of bed and demanded she went home and changed into something more comfortable for their night at the cinema. Though admittedly, she'd loved seeing the brunette in her new clothes, there was nothing sexier than Callie in those tight jeans and a tank top or a simple shirt. Adding her favorite marine blue chucks to it, she oozed of sexiness and it always took everything Arizona had not to forget how to breathe. And today was no different.

Ever since she'd picked up the beautiful Latina, she just stared at her. Or focused on the road, but even then she'd stolen a few glances. She couldn't help herself. Three weeks away and she thought Callie had gotten even more ravishing. And God, had she missed her laughter. And the little squeals. And even the huffing sound and the mumbled 'Typical' she'd made when Iron Man once again fought with Captain America. Frankly, she had no clue what the movie had been about, because she didn't pay attention, not in the slightest. How could she with the hand on her thigh, inching from her knee close to her center and back to her knee again. She'd bitten her bottom lip to keep herself from moaning out loud in the cinema, but now they were back in the car, making out like the horny teenagers they were, with roaming hands and everything, until the brunette pulled away.

Both took a few seconds to fill their lungs with the much needed oxygen and Arizona was just about to lean in again when Callie stopped her. "Arizona?"

"Hmm?", the blonde wondered.

"I know I said that I want today to be just about us and everything, and it was a perfect day, really, but-"

"You want to go to your parents' house", Arizona said, putting two and two together. It wasn't that much of a surprise, really. Throughout the day, her girlfriend mentioned it over and over again and sometimes even out of the blue, so she knew it was bothering her.

"Yeah", she nodded. "It's just, that... I don't even know. I have the feeling I need to see it. I have the key and everything and you said you'd go with me whenever I want to." She looked over to her girlfriend and found piercing blue eyes looking back at her with love and understanding.

"And I meant it", she confirmed. "I know you, love. I knew you would change your mind. Well, I thought you might. It's who you are. And I love you for being who you are." Smiling reassuringly at the Latina, she let her dimples pop.

"You really okay with going there? Now?"

"Yes", Arizona smiled. "Do you know the way?" Receiving a nod, she started the engine and squeezed her girlfriend's hand before she put the car into drive and left the parking lot. "Well then, lead the way."

"It's almost the same direction as towards Addie's home. So basically you can just take the same road for a few miles."

"Perfect, I know the way to Addie's mansion in my sleep", she joked. "So, your house is bigger than the red's?"

"It was big. Well, it still is big, I guess. I don't know if it's bigger than Addie's though."

"Yeah, freaking palace", Arizona laughed and her heart swell when Callie's laughter filled the small car as well. It was like music to her ears. "Calliope?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you sure you can do this?" She was worried it would be too much for the Latina. Yet, at the same time, she really hoped it would give her some kind of closure.

"No, I am not. But I don't feel ready to face College as well but I am also looking forward to Pre-Med classes and everything that comes along with it. Meaning, sometimes we just have to do some things we don't feel ready for ." When there came no reaction from the blonde, she looked at her girlfriend and saw the dreamy smile on her face. "What?"

"Nothing. You're just... you sound so... so grown up", she giggled. "It suits you though. You've always been a little more adult than any of us."

"I don't sound grown up", Callie protested. "Just because I am not a daredevil like you are or I know how to filter my words unlike the redhead, doesn't mean I am grown up."

"It doesn't, yet, you are. It's just a part of you. It's not bad."

"Sounded like it was a bad thing, though", the Latina replied and lowered her eyes to her hands and confessed, "I don't know if I can go in today. It's a lot to take for one day. But I am glad you're here with me. Thank you."

"No need to thank me, love. It's what good girlfriends do", she answered with a smile and then conversation died down. Arizona sensed that the brunette was lost in her own thoughts, so she gave her the time to process it as best as she could now while she kept her eyes on the road. Following Callie's instructions, they passed the exit to Addison's house and drove for another fifteen minutes. But with every passing mile, the estates seemed to get bigger and bigger. And though the brunette's mind seemed to be far far away, she managed to give Arizona the head-ups when to turn left or right all the time.

"You sure this is the right way?", the blonde asked when the last house she'd seen was a good five minutes ago.

"It's at the end of the street", Callie answered and as if on cue, behind a bend, a big white house came into view. Instantly, she felt like someone had put her heart into chains, so her fingers clenched into the fabric of her light jacket. She felt like drowning and gasped for air but it wasn't helping. Suddenly, the car was too small. She panicked. "Stop!"

"What?", the teenager asked confused, lifting her foot from the gas. She had been staring out of the window and hadn't noticed the change in her girlfriend's mood.

"Stop. Please, Arizona, just stop the car", Callie begged, tears filling her eyes immediately.

Pulling over, Arizona stopped the car and unbuckled her seat belt in a split second to reach out for Callie. "Hey, hey", she soothed, her hands cupping the Latina's face. "Talk to me."

"I can't", she swallowed down the knot in her throat and licked her lips, brushing away the salty taste from the tears. "I need a minute. Just a minute to breathe, okay?"

"Of course", the blonde said. It was exactly what she had been worried about. But all she could do was to be there for Callie when she needed her. "I can turn around and get us home within thirty minutes", she offered. It would more likely be somewhat around 45 minutes, but she could get them home faster if she wanted to.

"No. I'm good. It was just... I hadn't expect to be so... overwhelmed by it." She wiped the tears away and bit her bottom lip. "I'm good now."

"Calliope", Arizona sighed. "You don't have to pretend to be strong here."

"I don't pretend to be strong, Arizona. I am good, really", Callie insisted.

Knowing that her girlfriend could be very stubborn and that it would most likely turn into a fight if she would argue with the brunette now, she let it go. "Okay", she inhaled deeply and put her seat belt back on. "Should I-"

"Yes, please."

She started the car again and a couple of minutes later she pulled up into the driveway. This house was not big. No. This house – if you could even call it a house – was huge. More than huge. Gigantic. "Sweet mother of everything that is good", Arizona swore. "You lived here?"

"Yes", Callie answered and nodded simultaneously.

"You want to go in?"

"Yes", she answered immediately and got out of the car before she would change her mind. Standing in front of it made it real. This was her parents' home and now it was hers in all its glory and size. "Wow", she breathed out, her hand already fumbling with the key in her pocket. Not hearing Arizona approaching her from behind, she jerked a little when she felt a hand taking hers. But at the same time, it calmed her down.

"I'm here with you", the blonde whispered and placed a soft kiss on the Latina's cheek.

"Okay." Mentally telling herself that she could do this, she started walking towards the stairs that led up to the front door. One step after the other, her eyes focused on the pillars of marble on each side of it.

Squeezing the Latina's hand in her own, she interlaced their fingers as they were walking up the stairs, her thumb brushing over the soft skin. Arizona knew that Callie was going on auto pilot right now and was probably holding her breath. "You don't have to-"

"I know. I want to", the brunette cut her off. Reaching the door, she felt her heart pounding her chest when she put the key into the lock. Turning and turning it around, hearing the clicking sound two times before the door sprang open. And the minute she stepped into the lobby, she could see it all again. The parties her mother had thrown with all their rich friends to collect money for charity. And she remembered that she came down the stairs one night, woken up from a bad dream and had looked for her father, finding him in his best dinner jacket and talking about business. Closing her eyes, she could even here his voice, telling her that everything was fine and that the bad dream was gone now.

"You okay?"

"No...", she answered and slowly shook her head.

Wanting to distract her girlfriend, Arizona asked, "Where was you room?"

"Upstairs."

"Wanna go there?"

"Yeah." And with that, they started moving again. Callie's hand had a tight grip on Arizona's, needing to feel grounded or well, home. Because this wasn't her home. Home was not necessarily a house or place. Home was where your heart was. Arizona held her heart. So, home was with Arizona. Arizona was her home.

xxx

They'd made it upstairs about five minutes ago and while Callie had only focused on her breathing, Arizona had counted the stairs. Thirty-six. Who the hell needed thirty-six steps to separate the first from the second floor? Just the thought about coming home and having to walk up all those stairs made her cringe. When they'd reached the top, she'd first looked left, finding a long white hallway with two – what she guessed were – little tables covered by white sheets and five doors. Looking passed Callie to the right, she found exact the same things with even one door more.

But now they were standing before one of those doors, their fingers intertwined and Callie not moving. She was frozen to the spot and Arizona thought it was the wrong decision to come here and it was even more wrong to ask her if she wanted to go to her old room. She clearly couldn't handle the situation and the blonde felt powerless.

Lifting their locked hands, Arizona placed a chaste kiss on the back of the Latina's hand and smiled reassuringly up to her. "Maybe we should go?", she offered.

"No", Callie breathed out and confessed after a few seconds, "I just don't know how to go in there."

"Love, you don't have to do anything today." She bent her head to be able to see into her girlfriend's eyes. "Or tomorrow or this week, for that matter. It's your family's house, your past and we'll go at your pace."

Averting her eyes to the ground, knowing that if she would look at Arizona she was most likely going to cry, she fixed her gaze to the dim moonlight that seeped through the little gap between the bottom of the door and the floor. "I thought it was easier", she mumbled.

"Calliope, please, look at me", she said softly, waiting for Callie to lift her eyes. "Please?"

"Arizona, I-"

"Sshh, it's okay. I'm here for you whether you want to go in now or you want to leave. We can stand here a little longer if you think that will help you. No matter what, I am here for you, okay?"

Taking a deep breath and once again holding it before letting it out, she grabbed the handle and pushed it down slowly. A low creaking noise filled the air when she opened the door and they were greeted by the moonlight streaming through the windows. The Latina chewed on her bottom lip, pondering if she really wanted to face her old life. "You'll come with me?", she asked, her grip tightening on the blonde's hand.

"Of course", she affirmed, giving her girlfriend's hand a squeeze in return. But she waited and let the brunette step in first, following right behind her though when she switched on the light. There wasn't much in there anymore, because Ms. Miller – Jesus, was it really decades ago that she was in the Latina's life – had made sure that the Menken's would get most of the – once – little girl's belongings. But she remembered that Callie had asked for new furniture and only wanted to have her clothes and books and stuff like that. So there was still the little bed standing at the wall desk was standing to her left, everything again covered with white sheets to keep it from the dust of years. "You okay?", she asked.

"Surprisingly, I am", Callie answered with a slight smile and walked further into her old nursery her fingers gracing over the fabric that covered her closet. "It... it feels weird."

"What feels weird?", the blonde asked softly.

"To be here. It's like... I know it was my home but it's just not anymore. I still have all those memories of my mother or Aria waking me in the morning, my father was gone when I made it down for breakfast most of the days. He said he came in every night, even when I was already asleep to see if I was okay."

"They loved you."

"Yeah well, my parents did. Aria, she was my big sister, she was supposed to not like me", Callie answered and chuckled a little bit at the memories of Aria chasing after her just because she could when her parents weren't around.

"I'm sure she loved you too; everybody loves you, Calliope." Stepping closer and hugging her girlfriend from behind, Arizona smiled to herself. She loved Callie the most, though, she was sure of that.

"Everybody is a little exaggerated, but it's okay. I don't want everybody to love me. The few people who do are enough." Secretly she thought that Arizona's love would be enough, but she was thankful to have Susan and Liam in her life as well as her godparents and Timmy and Addie, who was also going to the same college as she and the blonde. "When I was around four, I guess, Aria tried to cut my curls, our nanny caught her before she could do it, though. Mamá was furious when she found out, grounded her for a whole week and told her to never ever come close to me with scissors in her hands again."

"I am glad she didn't", Arizona agreed as she nuzzled her nose into Callie's neck, loving the tickling of the Latina's long dark silky curls. Though they would probably be that long now anyway, she still remembered how Callie had looked when they met at the hospital all those years ago.

"Mamá said that she had been mad because they had to cut her hair when she got home and there was bubblegum in it. I guess she wanted to even out the playground", she laughed.

"Okay, I take it back. She might have hated you", the blonde giggled. It was the first time ever Callie was talking that much about her parents and her sister, so she let her, savoring everything the Latina was saying. "Where was her room?"

"Right across the hall."

"You want to go there?"

"Yeah. Can we stay in here a little longer though?"

"Of course. You don't have to ask. Your pace, remember?" She was glad that her girlfriend was coping pretty well right now and she could only pray to the heavens above that it would stay this way. But maybe – and she really hoped she was right – this gave the brunette the closure she needed.

Nodding, Callie wiggled herself out of the embrace and walked around her bed and froze when her foot bumped against something.

"What was that?", the blonde asked and watched Callie getting down onto her knees.

"Geez", she coughed. "More than ten years of not using a vacuum cleaner and a feather duster really does something to a house. There might even be footprints once we leave later."

"What are you doing down there anyway?", Arizona asked.

"I had a treasure box, daddy gave to me when I started school. Aria had one as well, but I hid mine under the bed because Aria always tried to take mine away from me. So, I hid it here but I guess I must have forgotten about it."

"You had a treasure box?", the blonde asked in disbelief. It was obviously not something she would have guessed.

"Yeah", Callie smiled. She reached under the sheet and pulled out a little box from under the bed. Blowing the dust away, she revealed a deep red steel box with silver outlines of a lion family on it.

"Lions?"

"Daddy always said they are proud animals and that I make him proud as well", the brunette answered. "I guess he didn't know that turtles are more awesome."

"Turtles are the best", Arizona nodded in agreement.

"They are", Callie smiled and opened the box, grinning when she noticed what was on top. "I have my first swimming badge in here. And... oh, my first A in math" , she said and bit her bottom lip, remembering that her sister had called her weird for thinking a good grade would be worth to make it into her treasure box. Shoving the thought aside, she browsed through the rest. "Pictures from my first day at school and-"

"And... what?" Rounding the bed as well, she stopped in front of the Latina and tried to read her face. She was damn good at reading her girlfriend and used to it because Callie always tended to go silent and bottle everything up, this time was no difference. And when she looked down in the box, she knew the source of the sad look in Callie's eyes. "May I?"

Callie nodded, combined with a sniff. She hadn't thought that a family picture could be such a trigger.

"When was that?", the blonde asked, trying to get her girlfriend to talk to her but she kept looking at the picture. It showed a Latin woman, probably in her mid-thirties and a slightly older looking man with a beard, with two girls in their middle, both matching the brown eyes of their mother. One was taller, with light brown straight hair and a sweet smile on her lips. The other had those magnificent curls framing her face; she wore a wide grin but didn't look into the camera but instead up to her father. Even if there was no difference in the girls length, there was no way she would not be able to tell who of the two was her girlfriend. This smile was unmistakable.

"Uhm, my sixth birthday. Mamá and papá took two days off, and we went to the fair and Aria tried to win me a big bear, but she couldn't and daddy told her that he was not going to waste any more money-" Wiping her eyes with both her hands, she swallowed down the knot. She had been fine moments ago and even been proud that she handled it all actually pretty well, but now she couldn't and one picture was enough to bring it all back to her. The tears rolled down her cheeks so fast, she wasn't even able to get them all. "I'm sorry", she sobbed. "I didn't know-"

"Hey, come here", Arizona said immediately, pulling the Latina as close as possible and wrapped her arms around her to hold her tight. "It's okay. You don't have to apologize", she whispered into Callie's ear, followed by little nothings to soothe her sniveling girlfriend. This evening was like a ride on a roller coaster. Up and down, and between the two extremes there were only a few seconds. She couldn't imagine what it was like to go through it all. She could handle the nightmares, because she knew how to hold Callie. She could even work with a stubborn Callie, knowing how to break through to her. Being in her old home though, Arizona didn't know how the brunette was really dealing with it. "I love you."

Despite all the tears, she smiled at the blonde. "I love you too", she answered and breathed out. "I think I want to go."

"Go as in-"

"Go. I want to come back, but for now I want to go home. I don't know if I can take much more today. If... if that's okay with you?"

"You don't have to ask me, love. Your pace", she reminded her again, yet she was relieved that Callie wanted to end their visit here because she too thought it was the best thing to do now.

"You'll come with me again, right? I can't do this without you."

"Just say my name and I'll be there as fast as I can", she winked and stood up on her tiptoes to place a soft kiss on her girlfriend's temple. "And for now, we'll take this with us and you can tell me more about your family?"

"I don't-"

"Shsh, I know", she silenced her with a soft kiss. "I know you don't remember everything, but we can go through the pictures and you can tell me the things you do remember. Would that be okay?"

"That would be nice, I guess", the brunette answered and pushed aside her fear to let the memories come back to her . She could do it with Arizona at her side.

"You don't have to", Arizona replied, sensing that Callie had her reservations about it. "What do you say, we get out of here, stop at the diner for a chocolate milkshake and then you can take me home?" Wiggling her eyebrows at the last words and biting her lip, she reveled in the changing features of the brunette's face.

"I can take you home, huh?"

"Yes. And you can tell me everything you want or not talk at all and kiss me instead. After all, it's your birthday and we do have a good way to celebrate our birthdays...", she mused.

"We don't need birthdays for that", Callie reminded her and chuckled. Arizona always managed to make her happy again.

Leaning in and standing up on her toes again so her mouth was close to the brunette's ear, she whispered, "We don't, but today's your birthday and that means that you will get all my attention and all you have to do is lean back and enjoy."

She gulped, she actually gulped at the sultry tone of the blonde's voice. It shot through her body and straight down to her core. "Let's go."

"You're the boss", Arizona grinned and took her girlfriend's left hand, her right hand still holding the tin box. "Milkshakes?"

"Milkshakes", she agreed. "But first-"

"First?", the blonde wondered.

"This", she whispered and pulled Arizona close to her, lips connecting in a soft kiss. Blue eyes fluttered close as well as brown. When Callie swept her tongue along Arizona's bottom lip to ask for entrance, she sighed when her girlfriend readily granted it. Tongues danced together, caressed and stroke each other when hands started to roam and tangle themselves in soft curls. Pulling away when air became an issue, the Latina breathed a, "Thank you."

"Uhm... no need to thank me for that", the blonde gasped, feeling a little dizzy from the intensity of the kiss they just shared. It wasn't news to her that Callie easily managed to take her breath away, but sometimes it just threw her off guard. "Shakes?", she asked again and they finally started to walk out of the room when she received a nod from the brunette.


	33. Life is a Road Part 2

Waking up in the arms of her girlfriend was something she wouldn't trade for anything in the world. Because it meant that she'd most likely spent the whole night curled up against the stunning Latina and this morning was even one of the best because she felt that they both were still naked from head to toes with only a light blanket covering their bodies. A feeling she would never get tired of, so she snuggled even closer and let her fingers trace over the soft skin of Callie's stomach, feeling the muscles twitch beneath her tips although the brunette was still asleep. Smiling to herself, Arizona let her hand ghost over the brunette's upper body, imagining her girlfriend's hand doing the same – which she would if she was awake.

Pushing herself impossibly closer into the Latina, pressing skin against skin she couldn't suppress the moan that was bubbling up deep inside her throat. Being so close always set her body on fire, no matter day or night, especially though when they were naked. In bed. Naked in bed when they'd had a perfect night before, that had left both of them breathless.

She felt fingers subconsciously tangle themselves in her hair, so she looked up only to see that Callie was still sleeping. "Calliope?", she whispered but got – of course – no response to her soft sound. Her right arm came up to lightly cup a tan breast whereupon Callie inhaled deeply, but after a few seconds of no movement, the blonde was sure that her girlfriend wasn't going to wake up so easily. Arizona knew her though. She'd learned how to play the brunette's body like a fine tuned instrument – which was kind of funny because when it came to play an actual instrument, she was a hopeless case. But she knew Callie's body. Knew where to touch, where to stroke, where to nip with her teeth or suck with her mouth. So it was no surprise to her that a strangled moan toppled over her girlfriend's lips when she shimmied down a few inches and closed her lips around one of the Latina's nipples. What she hadn't considered though was that her own core was now too close to Callie's thigh and one movement would be enough to- "Shit", she cursed against her girlfriend's breast and jerked forward when the brunette's leg pressed against her center.

Feeling the blood rushing through her veins and her arousal skyrocketing, she took a little time to compose herself before she went back to flicking a delicious brown bud with her tongue. She reveled in the feeling that the Latina's breathing became more ragged with every passing second and wasn't able to stop herself from smirking. "Wake up, pretty girl", she said against the soft skin of Callie's chest as she kissed her way up her body.

Callie, despite the little moans and whimpers that were leaving her mouth, didn't wake up though, so Arizona went over to lightly nip at the skin over her collar bone, careful not to leave any marks, yet hard enough to elicit a louder groan. "Mhmm, that's right, time to wake up", the blonde smiled when she trailed a path with her tongue up the brunette's throat.

"Mhmm", came the Latina's response to her girlfriend's caresses in form of an encouraging moan.

"Love... I want you", Arizona breathed softly into her ear, her well trained muscle licking the shell of the brunette's ear. She often struggled with her own needs of being touched and her want of touching Callie. But right now she wanted to touch, kiss, lick her girlfriend, make her come and she wanted to watch her crashing into an orgasm. "So you better wake up now."

Finally, brown eyes fluttered open, her gaze still hazy from sleep. "What-" she mumbled.

"I'm going to – ugh", she groaned when Callie's thigh unintentionally moved up again, "to show you how much you make me want you. And how much I can't stop touching you." Sighing when she claimed her girlfriend's lips in a passionate kiss, she combed the fingers of her right hand through the beautiful dark tresses while her left hand cupped the Latina's cheek. "You okay with that", she panted out of breath when she pulled away.

Nodding, the brunette gulped at Arizona's announcement. She bit her bottom lip to prevent the moans from coming out of her mouth. "How?"

"How?", the blonde parroted and raised her eyebrow. "I can think of a lot of... things", she trailed of as she pushed Callie onto her back and herself on top of her. "How about...", she kissed along the jawline of her girlfriend, "I could use my tongue?" To emphasize her words, she let the muscle lick over her girlfriend's velvet skin.

"Ugh, God!"

"Or", Arizona continued, fingertips dancing down the brunette's body, "I could use my finger... or do you want to try _fingers_?" It was one thing they still hadn't done. Though their sex life as well as their relationship was pretty healthy and definitely not lacking – if she may say so – they both had been nervous about that particular part. Neither of them wanted to hurt the other one and so both had always shied away at the last moment. "It's up to you", she whispered before kissing her girlfriend with vigor. Callie's body was ready for it, she'd felt it every time when she was making love to her over the last weeks. Yet, she hadn't been sure how to approach this subject again, until now. But somehow, last night had boosted her confidence, so when her hand ghosted over the begging bundle of nerves, she asked, "So, what do you say?"

"Fing- fuck", Callie yelped after the first firm circles around her clit.

"What was that, Calliope?", the blonde asked with a smirk and kept rubbing her tips in circles over the hard pearl.

"Ari- can't-" She couldn't form a coherent sentence to save her life right now. Waking up to Arizona's ministrations and her still ongoing caresses had turned her brain to mush.

"You have to tell me, beautiful", Arizona sang, "Or I'll stop."

"No!", the Latina shrieked. "Don't... finger... ss", she hissed.

Blinking in confusion, she asked, "You sure?" She hadn't thought that the brunette was going for that answer. There was no way she'd deny her anything, though.

Nodding, Callie pulled the blonde closer and pressed their lips together after she asked Arizona to go slow. She wanted it, like, wanted it _really_ bad. But she also wanted time to adjust to everything.

"Of course, love." Rolling her hips into the body beneath her, both girls groaned their respective appreciation into each other's mouth. Arizona let her hand slide through her folds, finding her entrance with ease. "You're so wet", she gushed between kisses.

"Because of you", the brunette panted and bucked her hips in time with Arizona's movements. "Only you."

"Mhmm, I like how that sounds", she smiled. Pulling away so she could look at the brunette, she slowly entered her with one finger. She watched as her girlfriend's mouth fell open in pleasure and a low growl escaped her lips. God, how much she loved that sound because it gave her all kinds of butterflies and feelings.

Lifting her hips to welcome the joyful intrusion, Callie felt around with her hands and scratched her fingernails lightly over the pale skin. "Ari-" she gasped.

"I know, love, I know", she assured her when she pushed her finger inside the brunette over and over again, knowing all too well what her girlfriend was feeling and how much she enjoyed it. Adding her thumb to the mix, stroking the hard clit a little rougher to prepare the Latina.

"Fuck!", she swore, her back arching off the bed, "Arizona... I-" She wanted it, needed it. Needed to feel more. And she needed to feel it now.

"Okay", Arizona agreed and pecked the full lips before her for a brief second when she slipped out of her girlfriend and circled the entrance with two fingers. Easing both inside at a very slow pace, she studied the brunette's face carefully, ready to stop if she needed to. But Callie seemed fine. She lay below her, her lips parted, but not in shock. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing heavily. "Okay?", she asked.

"Yeah", she moaned. "More."

"You're so hot right now", Arizona replied and bit her lip, sliding her fingers deeper into the Latina. "You feel incredible."

"You... too", Callie struggled. "Please."

"Please, what?"

"More, please."

"You sure?"

"Yes", she answered and nodded at the same time.

"Okay", the blonde grinned, pushing her fingers as deep into her girlfriend as they could go and stopped to give Callie some time to get used to the feeling.

"Oh. My. God!" It felt heavenly. Amazing. Turtely awesome. "Why'd you stop?", she asked and opened her eyes to find ocean blue orbs staring back at her. There was so much lust and want in those eyes that all Callie could do was lick her lips. "I'm okay" she assured her and jerked her hips to get the blonde moving again.

"You", she said, kissing those lips a couple of times before she added, "are the hottest and most beautiful woman in the whole world, Calliope." Connecting their lips in a hungry kiss, she started to move her fingers inside her girlfriend, slow at first but when Callie bucked even more, she stepped up the pace. She felt fingers in her hair, fingernails digging into her skin but she couldn't care less. Callie felt gorgeous when she writhed underneath her.

"I'm close...", the brunette warned.

"Let go", Arizona whispered against full lips, her fingers still working their magic between her girlfriend's legs, curling them every now and then. "Let go for me."

"FUCK!", she burst out. "Oh, fuck, Arizona. Oooh God."

"Mhmm, that's it, love."

Panting heavily and with her head thrashing from side to side because she couldn't take it anymore, she let her hands slide down the blonde's body to clench the sheets below her. And that's what she did. Fingers grabbed to fists full of fabric and toes curled as her body twitched and jerked, her walls tightening, keeping her girlfriend trapped inside her when she tumbled headfirst over the edge.

"Oh God", Arizona moaned. Calliope was a sight for sore eyes every day but right now she was glowing with the emotions of her orgasm. "I love you, I love you, I love you", she chanted, peppering the Latina's face and neck with kisses as Callie came down from her high.

It took her a few minutes to get her breathing and heartbeat under control, but once she managed it, she opened her eyes, finding her blonde, blue-eyed girlfriend smiling at her. "Hi", she rasped.

"Hi yourself. You okay?"

"I am perfect."

"I didn't hurt you, did I?", Arizona worried. It didn't look like she had, but she needed to be sure.

"You didn't", she smiled. "God, that felt amazing."

"Yeah?"

"Hell, yeah!"

"You looked amazing as well", Arizona replied with a blush.

"Do you... want to try it too?", she asked and saw blue eyes widening. "You don't have to, I just thought...", she trailed of.

"No. I want to. Just-"

"Slow, I know", the brunette cut her off and kissed her while flipping them over. "Arizona?"

"Hmm?", she asked, her mind already blurry from the sensation Callie's kissed left on her skin.

"I love you."

"I love you too", the blonde said with a smile, her body suddenly all tingly with emotions and anticipation.

xxx

"When was that?", Arizona asked her girlfriend who was sitting with her back propped up against the headboard, while she had her back snuggled into the Latina's front with a photo album in her lap.

Looking down at the picture the blonde pointed at, Callie thought for a moment. She had her hands lightly wrapped around the blonde's stomach and drew lazy patterns over the fabric of her shirt. "That was my parents' anniversary, I think. By the look of our dresses, we were just about to go out to a very fancy restaurant. Mamá loved those places, but I kinda think she loved pictures taken of us being all dressed up even more." It was actually pretty obvious to her since this wasn't the first picture that looked like that. More like the tenth.

"You look so adorable. Guess that was the time your favorite color was pink too?", she teased, her eyes still fixated on the picture that showed Callie in a light pink dress with ruffles and bows everywhere and her dark brown curls held back with a hairband. But then she spotted another little detail and couldn't stop her right eyebrow from quirking up. "Are you wearing patent leather shoes? So not the type I pegged you for." Sure, the brunette had worn dresses just like she had when they had been younger, but those kind of shoes were just a little too much.

Feeling the embarrassment creeping up into her cheeks in form of a blush, she nodded. "You know, Latin families really like to exaggerate... and Aria and I, we kinda were daddy's little princesses, we didn't get to decide what we could wear on dinner nights out."

"All the better you grew up with Susan and Liam then", Arizona replied with a smile, not thinking about how that sounded. When she replayed the words in her head though, she gasped and moved a little to the left to look at her girlfriend. "Calliope, I am sorry. I... I didn't mean it like that."

"Don't worry, I know you didn't." Arizona did have a point though. "And I think, that you're right, partly. I don't know for sure, but I think that we would not even have met if I would have grown up with my parents and sister. I mean, how would that have been possible? I wouldn't have gone to our elementary school, junior high or even high school. Bare any weird circumstances, I would not have lived in the same district."

"I honestly don't want to imagine my life without you. You've just always been there, for the better part of my life and there's no way I would have want it any other way." Just thinking about growing up without Callie's friendship and later on their relationship sent a shiver down her spine. "And I know that it sounds selfish, but-"

"I get it. Because I feel the same. And there's no need to picture it or ask what if. It is how it is and I am so happy to have you in my life." Leaning down, she connected their lips in a soft short kiss. There was a time where she had wondered if her parents would have approved of her relationship with Arizona. Knowing that they were just as religious as Lucas and his mother made her think they would have been against it. But just when she'd answered her first question, others had popped up in her head. Would she even be into girls, if it wasn't Arizona? And if she would, would she have hidden it for the sake of making her parents happy? All of it had really made her struggle and to top it all off, Arizona hadn't been there to talk about it, because it happened during one of their training camps, so she had been all by herself. But in the end, it didn't matter. She was who she was now, had grown up the way she did and she loved Arizona more than anything.

"What are you thinking about?", the blonde asked after Callie had been silent for a few minutes and the slight frown on her forehead let her know that she was lost in her thoughts.

"It's nothing. Just, I am happy my life turned out the way it is now", she answered and smiled when blue eyes sparkled up to her. "And in a few weeks we're off to college and then- yeah?", she asked when a soft knock on her bedroom door cut her off.

"I'm sorry to interrupt", came Susan in, instantly seeing the light blush on both girls cheeks. She was relieved to see that her girl hadn't changed – despite her new-found richness. She was still the same, acted the same around them and Arizona and she still helped with the chores.

"You're not", Arizona smiled at her girlfriend's mom. "Let me guess, my mom called?"

"Yes, mind reader. She told me to remind you of your little date to get you some moving boxes and some other things you might need for the first weeks at college."

Trying really hard not to roll her eyes, Arizona bit her bottom lip not to say anything witty about her mom's call. "I know. I still have about ten minutes, but I guess, I better go now. Don't want to get on the bad side of my mom." Putting the photo album down on the bed, she scooted forward, out of the Latina's embrace and to the end of the bed, and finally stood up only to turned around immediately. "You're coming over later?", she asked her girlfriend.

"That's a given", Callie grinned back. "When will you be home?"

"I don't know. Probably in about two or three hours from now, unless mom decides to enter a bookstore. She's worse than you", she winked, though it was true. Her mom and Callie could spend _hours_ in a bookstore. She loved books too, she really did. And she loved to have new ones to read, but whereas she knew what kinds of books she liked, her girlfriend and her mom went through every section, every time, always reading the blurb.

"I see you tomorrow then", the Latina joked, knowing full well how her godmother was and secretly loving the shared passion for books.

Grabbing her overnight bag, Arizona knelt down and leaned in to peck Callie's lips one last time before heading out. "I see you later."

"Yeah, later", the brunette said with a dreamy smile that was still evident on her lips when her girlfriend rushed passed her mom, leaving the two alone.

"What have you been up to?", Susan asked curious. Of course she'd noticed that the album wasn't one of theirs. "Is that new?"

"Uhm..." Callie paused for a moment. She didn't quite know how to approach this subject to her parents. Thinking the truth would be the best way, she explained, "It's one from my parents' house."

"You've been there?", Susan wondered. She didn't know her daughter had gone there.

Nodding, Callie moved to sit on the edge of her bed. "Three times already. Don't be mad, mom", she pleaded with her head hung low and her hands folded in her lap.

"I am not mad, honey. I just... why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't know how. I didn't even know when I wanted to go there. It was always pretty spontaneous, a gut decision, I guess. And Arizona was always there with me, so I wasn't going alone", she tried to justify her actions. "I needed to see it and go inside. But it was pretty overwhelming every time."

"I can only try to imagine", Susan answered, sat down beside her daughter and reached out for the book. "Well, how was it, aside from overwhelming?"

"Frightening", the Latina breathed out. "It's all covered with white sheets and really dusty. I've only been in my old room, Aria's room and my parents' room and that was already enough for me. This house is so big... I think I want to sell it." There was only so much she could handle, and one room at a time had been enough. After she'd been in her sister's old room, she opted and tried to enter her parents' old bedroom as well, but she couldn't once her mind had taken her back to the time where she'd crawled under the covers after a nightmare. So, she'd frozen and Arizona had had to drag her out of the house and drive away until she wasn't able to see the estate to make her tears finally subside.

Flipping through the photographs in the album, Susan asked, "Why?"

"Because I don't need it. I am not even sure if I want to have it. It's too big for me, even for me and Arizona and our families. What should I do with more than six bedrooms, three bathrooms and so on. And that's only the second floor...", she trailed off.

"But it's also a memory you would give away", the brunette's mother replied and looked at the Latina. "And it's one of the few things left from your family."

Sighing, Callie nodded again. She knew that. But she had no idea what to do with the house. The sheets would only collect more and more dust. Plus, aside from not needing a house that big, she wasn't sure if she wanted to keep it. It held memories, yes, good and bad ones at the same time. It held the years of her early childhood and her dead family. But, those memories were saved in her mind. She had the pictures to replay certain things and the more she and Arizona had browsed through the photos, the more had come back to her. Did she really need the house too? "I still don't need it", she shrugged.

"But why not keep it for later?" She wouldn't say it like that, but she was against Callie selling the house right away. Not because she wanted to live there or anything like that. More because she wanted her daughter to have more time to think about it. Rushing it and making decisions in under a week could be a terrible mistake.

"Later?"

"After med school. You'll need somewhere to live or do you and Arizona want to move back in?", she asked with a laugh.

"That was the plan", Callie joked back. "Seriously though, I still have the beach house in Miami. I don't need two houses. I don't even need one right now."

Closing the album and resting her hands on top of it, she studied her daughter's face for a few seconds. "I understand why you're thinking like that and in the end it is your money and your houses and furthermore, it's your decision..."

"I hear a 'but' coming with it..."

"But, I suggest you don't sell the house right away. There's no need to rush it. You can think about it some more, maybe finish college and med school before you make a decision." Nudging the brunette's shoulder, she added, "And who knows, maybe you'll see it from a different point of view when you're older and start thinking or planning to have a family on your own."

"I still wouldn't need a house that big... but maybe you are right. There's already so much dust, a few more years won't hurt, right?"

"It won't", Susan agreed with a smile. "When are you going over?"

"In a bit. I want to talk to the Colonel before Arizona gets home."

"Is something wrong with the two of you? It didn't seem to me like you two were fighting or anything. Did something happen to Arizona?"

"No, mom", Callie pacified. "I just want to ask him something and because I know him... and me, I'm just, well... giving us enough time."

Tilting her head to one side, Susan gave her daughter a suspicious look. "Is this some big secret or are you going to tell your mom?"

"After I made sure Daniel is okay with it, okay? It's nothing bad, I promise. Just a little something I want to ask him first."

"Okay...", she trailed off. "Well, I won't keep you from your task, but could you take the trash out when you leave?" Getting up from the bed, she walked over to the door only to be stopped by a soft 'mom?' that made her turn around. "Yeah?"

"I love you. You're the best mom I could have wished for."

"I love you too, honey." And with that, she left her daughter's room before there would be tears rolling down her cheeks. Their little girl had grown up so fast and a part of her ached already when she thought about her leaving for college and med school. But the bigger part of her was so proud of Callie. She was so strong and smart and caring, had her heart in the right place and was really everything Liam and she could ever had dreamed of.

xxx

Opening the front door to his home, Daniel found his daughter's girlfriend standing before him, her eyes locked to the ground and her fingers fidgeting with the fabric of her light jacket. "Calliope", he welcomed her with a smile, "Arizona isn't home yet. She and Barbara left about an hour ago, so they'll be gone for another hour or two."

"I know. But I wondered if I could talk to you, Colonel Robbins, Sir?"

"Colonel Robbins? You haven't called me that in years", he mused, but one look at the Latina told him that she was serious. "Well, come in. Do you want some water or anything else?"

"I'm good, thank you", Callie replied and walked passed her girlfriend's father and straight into the living room of the Robbins' house.

"Is everything okay with you?", Daniel wondered when he followed her and sat down in the armchair across from the brunette who was sitting on the couch with both her feet nervously tapping the ground.

"Everything is fine, Colonel Robbins." She just needed to find the courage to actually ask him. If only it was done as easy as it was said. She was sure she looked like a scared little girl right now. She sure felt like one.

"Have you done something? Or did my daughter do something wrong?"

"No, Sir. Arizona, she's perfect", she smiled. "But she's part of the reason I am here. I want to ask you something." And she really wanted him to say yes to her idea. The asking part was harder than she thought though and suddenly, even breathing got harder.

Leaning back, Daniel silently gestured her to continue while he studied her. He had no clue what was going on in the Latina's head, but judging by the look on her face, it must be something serious and he was a little worried.

"I-" She still thought whether to just burst it out or testing the water, so to say, a bit longer. "I want to ask for your permission for Arizona to move in with me", she said, her voice trembling just as much as her fingers.

"Move in with you?"

"Yes, Sir. I want us to have a place of our own. I know that there are dorm rooms at Harvard, but I also don't want to jeopardize our luck of getting a nice roommate instead of one who is only interested in partying around and getting to know the boys. And I know Arizona thinks the same. If we'd have an apartment of our own, we'd be able to study and concentrate on college and I can guarantee that there won't be any parties", she rambled. "I would make sure that Arizona won't try to survive on solely cereals, pasta and pizza or some other junk food. You know I am able to do that, right? Susan taught me how to cook a lot of meals and I know that Arizona is just not interesting in cooking."

"I know", he said. But nothing more. No 'yes', no 'no' and it freaked Callie out.

"If Arizona and I would have our own little apartment, I could cook dinner every day, or lunch. And I could make breakfast. There won't be anything she'd have to miss out when it comes to nutrients and fluids. I know that she keeps forgetting about drinking enough, but I could remind her."

"Calliope-"

"Sir", she cut him off. She almost never dared to cut him off, but she was still in the middle of pointing out all her reasons for a place of their own and she knew that if he would stop her, she would not find that courage again so soon. Because she had thought this through for hours and hours after knowing that she had the possibilities. "We don't have to worry about the money. I can afford this, you know that, right? I don't know what to do with all of the money anyways, so why not put it to good use and make studying a little easier for the both of us? We both want to go to med school and become a surgeon and to do that, we need to focus on college." Stopping for a moment to look up at her love's father, she tried to read his face. It was like a blank page, though.

"And you think you two would survive living together?", he asked.

"Yes, Sir. I actually think we wouldn't survive not living together. We spend every day with each other already. I know that it's different, because there won't be a place to go if one of us needs just time for herself, but I think it doesn't matter whether we get a place together now or some years down the road."

"Arizona is-"

"A little messy, I know", Callie chuckled. Her girlfriend could still destroy a perfectly clean room in less than five minutes, but it was one of the little differences the brunette loved about their relationship. And her girlfriend wasn't dirty or anything. She just didn't tidy up her room right after making it look like a bomb exploded in it. "But I love your daughter, Sir. And frankly, I am sure that Arizona would find a way to sneak out of her dorm room to spend each night with me anyways. We're so used to it, we just don't sleep well without the other next to us." That was the truth. The few nights they couldn't fall asleep next to each other over the summer had been rough, some of them even ended with both girls falling asleep on the phone just to hear the other's breathing.

"That sounds like my daughter", Daniel nodded. "And you are sure you are willing and ready to take that step?"

"Without a doubt, Sir. And if anything, the last weeks of spending every day and almost every night with Arizona only confirmed that for me."

"There's more to getting your own place than just renting an apartment", he stated. He wasn't against the idea, by any means. He just wanted to make sure that Callie knew what she was getting them into.

"I know that, Sir. We'd need gas, water, electricity and so many other things like furniture. And we might need your help to get it all settled because I don't know how to do it all but I still think that we can manage to do it", she explained, her voice had gotten back to her normal strength which was good. It would be easier to convince him when she was her usual strong self and didn't sound like a scared kitten. She waited a few seconds before she added, "If you'd let us, that is."

Not saying anything, he kept his eyes locked onto the Latina. He knew that his look was one of the most intimidating ones he could muster, one that could make his subordinates flinch, but Callie didn't even blink. If he was honest, there was not that much against her thought, other than their age. But they were going away to attend college anyway and she did have a point with the possibility of not so ambitious roommates. "What did Susan and Liam say to your plan?"

"I... I haven't told them, yet. I wanted to ask you first. But Liam suggested it already when we were applying for different colleges and Susan seemed to be fine with it. I can call them and ask right now though, if you want me to?"

"That's not necessary, I think", he brushed it off. He knew that Liam had his own place since his freshmen year. "If I say yes to it, I want to make a few conditions."

"Of course, Colonel Robbins."

"One, you won't pay for it all by yourself. I know that you can more than just afford it, but that's not going to happen." Of course Arizona had told them that Callie was indeed pretty much loaded now. But he was a marine and he wouldn't let the girl pay for his daughter's life, although she only meant well. "Two, you have to promise that you'll call us if you need any help at any time, no matter day or night."

Smiling at Daniel, Callie said, "That's a promise I can give in a heartbeat."

"Three, which is actually something I would have told you anyways, you both are always welcome here if you feel homesick or just want to see us and that goes for the both of you."

The smile on her face grew even wider when she replied with a soft 'thank you'.

"Have you thought about what kind of an apartment you want?"

"Just a little bit, Sir. I didn't want to get ahead of myself, before I was sure you'd be okay with Arizona and I getting a place together", she answered honestly. "I haven't even asked her, yet."

"That's a good thing, Calliope, but enough with the 'Sir' and 'Colonel Robbins. You're my goddaughter and you call me Daniel, or I might have to get mad", he joked. "Now, if you try to think about it, what does your place look like?"

"It would be nice if it wouldn't be too far away from campus. Getting up at the crack of dawn for classes that start at eight is a horrible thought", she admitted. "Two rooms plus a living room would be good. One to sleep in and one with desks. I still have some hope that I actually get Arizona to study at a table instead of her bed. And we'd need a kitchen, there's no good cooking without a good kitchen. An en-suite bathroom would be nice, but it's not a necessity. A shower on the other hand, is. We don't need big rooms. I think if it's too much, we don't even need a room where we could study, the living room would do it as well. It would just be a nice little extra, but I guess we'll be spending a good amount of time at the library and on campus anyways..."

"Sounds to me like you've done a lot of thinking", he smiled. It was nice to hear the Latina talk so passionately, yet logically, about the hypothetical apartment.

"Not to sound stupid, Sir- Daniel. But, you actually are okay with it, right? I am not misreading your words or anything?"

"I am very much okay with it, Calliope. If the situation was any different, I would probably have some reservations. But aside from my family, I wouldn't trust anyone more with my daughter's well-being than I do trust you."

"I- thank you. It means a lot to me."

"You are welcome", he smiled back at her. "When are you going to ask her?"

"When she gets home. We should start looking for a place soon and could use the next weekend for that when we're exploring the campus so we know our way around, I think that it would be good if one of you will be with us then. We don't really know what to look for and a little help from our parents would be perfect."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Standing up he asked, "Do you want anything to drink now that you are not fidgeting anymore?"

"Some water would be nice", she nodded, a little ashamed that he had figured her out so easily. But at the same time, she was filled with excitement and couldn't wait for her girlfriend to get home so she could finally tell her. And now she really wished that Barbara would not enter any bookstore.


	34. Life is a Road Part 3

It was the weekend after Callie had asked Colonel Robbins if he would be okay with her plan of getting an apartment together instead of living in separate dorms, that the Latina and Arizona were walking down the Garden Street in Cambridge, hand in hand like they always did.

"Uhm, Calliope, where are we going? Campus is that way", Arizona said and pointed behind them with the hand that was currently holding the map of the area around Harvard University.

"No, we are taking the right way", Callie brushed it off. Though she originally had intended to ask Arizona to move in with her the same day she'd asked her father, she didn't get to do it because Timmy had thrown a major temper tantrum the moment he got home about his big sister and the brunette leaving him. They had such a beautiful and strong relationship that it was really heartbreaking to watch him struggle with Arizona's need to leave home, even more so because he apparently wanted Callie to stay too. So instead of asking her, they had sat down with Timmy and talked to him. And after dinner she'd gone home to give the siblings a little more time to spend together and to fill her parents in on her plan of getting a place outside of the campus. They'd even looked at a few sites online for available apartments, narrowed it down to five already that were in the same area and that's where Callie was taking the blonde now. Arizona was still clueless, though.

Thinking that she'd gotten it wrong, she focused on the map again before shaking her head. "No no no. I know how to read a map, Calliope. We're walking in the opposite direction." It wasn't that hard. They were staying at the Sheraton Commander Hotel and you only had to turn right and walk down the street to end up at the campus. But the brunette had made them turn left and now she was confused.

Callie just squeezed her girlfriend's hand a little tighter, preventing her from standing still and tugging her along instead.

"Seriously, Calliope, where are we going? Harvard is that way and we agreed to explore the campus. And I want to at least know what the dorms look like if I have to live in one of those for the next years of my life." It was one of the things she did not like about going away for college. They were probably all three - Addison included – ending up with the worst roommates on earth.

"And we'll do that. There's one stop I want to make before we do, okay?"

"One stop? Calliope, what are you talking about?" Why was everybody acting so weird today? Her father had told them during breakfast that he had an appointment – which was strange because they didn't know anyone in Cambridge - and her girlfriend was definitely having a secret. And she didn't like it when Callie had secrets.

"Yes, one stop and then you can walk around the campus all you want, all day even, I promise." Stopping at the crossways, she searched for the name of the street and turned right when she found it was the one she was looking for, the Walker Street.

"Where are you taking us? You're getting us lost!", the blonde exclaimed, albeit following her. If she was about to get lost, she'd rather do it with Callie by her side.

"I am not getting us lost, Arizona. And I don't need a map to guide me, I know where we're going. Will you please just trust me?"

"Fine", she huffed and stuffed the map back into her bag. "But you're not just taking me to a bookstore, right? Because if you are, I swear right here and right now, that you can wander through the halls of Harvard alone today."

Stunned by her girlfriend's threat and not being able to make out if it was an empty one, she swallowed hard and shook her head. "It's not. I promise. And we're almost there."

"If only I would know where 'there' is", Arizona grumbled and shot a glare at the brunette walking beside her.

"You'll see in three… two… one", she counted down and stopped walking. It looked good on the outside and she just hoped it wasn't all messy and stinky on the inside.

"Okay? That's just a building, Calliope. What's so special about this place?"

"Are you Miss Torres?", a woman approached them, making both girls heads turn towards her. "I am sorry, I heard you calling her Calliope, and I just assumed, since this name is not so common that you would be Miss Calliope Torres?" Still getting no response, she took a deep breath. She was new to this, but she could do this. "I am Mrs. Fielder, we talked on the phone", she continued and held out her hand for Callie to shake it.

"Calliope Torres, pleasure to meet you", the brunette replied with a wide smile and a firm handshake. "And this is Arizona Robbins."

"It's nice to meet you too. We can go up on the fifth floor if you want", she suggested. "Or do you have questions you want to ask right away?"

"I have one", the blonde said quickly. "What are we doing here?"

"Would you excuse us for just a moment?", Callie smiled to Mrs. Fielder and led Arizona a few feet away from the woman to get at least a little privacy and then turned to face her girlfriend. Fumbling around with Arizona's slender fingers, she finally opened her mouth and said, "I want to move in with you."

"You- you, what?"

"I want to move in with you. Or… you to move in with me, whichever way you wanna look at it. I want us to have our own place where we can come home to every night. I want to fall asleep with you every night. Where I can cook and we will have our own bedroom. I didn't like the thought of dorm rooms from the beginning and I don't like the thought of roommates either. So when I was over at your place the other day, I asked your father if it was okay if you and I-"

"You did what? You asked my father?"

"Uhm… yes?

"So he knew about this? Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you ask me?", Arizona wanted to know. They talked about everything, all the time. There was not much they didn't talk about, aside from Callie's family, but even that got better and better with every picture Callie showed her.

"I wanted to tell you the same day but when Timmy came home, it was just not as important as he was. He's your brother and I hadn't even thought about how he was going to feel when we're gone."

"He understands that us going away is inevitable, though. He gets it. And you could have told me the day after", she pouted, but then her lips switched into a huge smile with her dimples on full display as her fingers were tracing up and down the Latina's arm. "You really want to move in with me?"

"Of course I do, Arizona", Callie answered with a breathtaking smile that turned into a laugh when the blonde started to bounce on her heels. "So, you like the idea?"

"Like it? I love it! I can't believe we're going to live together! I was already making a plan which one of us was going to sneak out on what night so we'd have kind of a schedule! That's so off the table now! And this is so much better!", she exclaimed. But then she stopped abruptly, studying her girlfriend's face. "But wait, my dad – the Colonel – is really okay with it?"

"Yep, I got his permission. And he will take a look at the apartment too, that is, if we like it. But we don't have to take it if we don't like this one. We have more appointments tomorrow. Susan, Liam and I narrowed it already down to five apartments that are all around this area and that we can afford", she explained in a rush. "I told your dad that money is no problem, well, you know, but he's your father and said that he was not going to let me pay for all of it and you don't argue with your dad. Well, _you_ do, but generally, you don't, you just-"

"Calliope, baby", Arizona stopped her with the simple gesture of putting her finger against full lips, "breathe, okay? You're cute when you ramble, but I actually need you to survive and not die from the lack of air", she winked and kissed the tip of Callie's nose.

Taking in a couple of deep breaths, she closed her eyes and let it all sink in. Arizona had agreed to move in with her. They were doing it.

"Better now?", the blonde asked.

"Yes. We should get back to Mrs. Fielder, we're not exactly polite letting her wait over there." She took her girlfriend's hand, welcoming the squeeze she received with a content sigh and she felt like her smile would never fade away. Maybe she would even burst with excitement, though she was better at hiding it than Arizona who was still kind of jumping up and down. "Okay, now we can go upstairs", she said as they reached the realtor.

"Good. It's on the fifth floor. It's really beautiful, a nice new kitchen and the living room as well as the other two rooms got a new hardwood floor. The bathroom got finished yesterday and the best part of it is the landlord. This apartment belongs to a filthy rich old lady who is not interested in money and her only condition is that it's only available for nice young students, so it's probably the best deal you two could get if you take the apartment", Mrs. Fielder pointed out the good things as they stepped into the elevator and pushed the button for the fifth floor, not knowing that Callie was 'filthy rich' as well. "There is a second elevator and both have just recently been checked, so they should work just fine."

Leaning closer to Callie, the blonde whispered, "It sounds amazing."

"It does", the Latina smiled back and hoped that it would also look amazing. The pictures had been amazing and it was already her favorite, that's why she wanted to see this one first. She could already see them leaving here. But then again, she could picture living with Arizona almost everywhere. And just the thought of it was enough and she found herself probably as much bouncy as her girlfriend when they exited the elevator.

"It's apartment number 502, the one with the blue door on the right side", Mrs. Fielder announced and walked ahead of them.

xxx

"And that's all I can show you", Mrs. Fielder said a good thirty minutes after they'd stepped into the apartment. "If you want, you can stay a little longer, I just have to make a quick call."

"Thanks", Arizona chirped and grabbed her girlfriend's hand. She waited until the realtor closed the front door behind her and then she dragged Callie into the room Mrs. Fielder had told them could be their bedroom. "I want this."

"What this?"

"This. This apartment. This bedroom. Living here together with you. It's perfect, Calliope", she gushed.

"So, you love this place?"

"Mhmm", she hummed and pointed to the wall without windows. "Look, over there I can see the big bed I want. And I know you're going to say that we will end up cuddling every night anyways, but a big bed is just comfy... and... we can make good... use... of it", she said, her voice dropping an octave with the second statement and her fingertips danced up the brunette's arm and shoulder as she watched the blush creeping up into tan cheeks with a smirk. "And I want one of those tattoos you can put on a wall, do you think there are ones with turtles?"

"I wouldn't know", Callie chuckled once she got her breathing back under control and she could enjoy her girlfriend's rambling.

"Well, you can always just paint them", she shrugged. "And over there would be a dresser. Our clothes will have a place together too." There was a big dimpled smile on Arizona's face, but then another thought crossed her mind and she rapidly clapped her hands. "AND our turtles will be reunited!

"You know that we do not have to take this apartment, right? You don't have to plan everything right now, maybe you like one of the others more." Though she really hoped that was not the case, she already loved this place.

"Are you kidding me? I freaking love this place!" She took Callie's hand again and dragged her back into the living room which was the center of the hole apartment. "See, there is the bathroom, with a tub", the blonde pointed to the bathroom, "We can take looooooooooong baths with me being the big spoon or you being the big spoon." Turning them around so they could see the kitchen, she continued, "That's where you're going to make the best dinners for me and maybe for our friends too. Oh, and breakfast. And I'll be watching you rocking the kitchen from my place at the breakfast bar every day and not gonna get tired of it."

Callie eased into the arms of her girlfriend as Arizona spun around and embraced her from behind. She felt the chin resting on her shoulder and took a few deep breaths. Everything Arizona had pictured for them, she could see it too and so much more.

"Here, in the living room, will be our TV and don't even think about a TV in the bedroom", she mused and watched the brunette's face contort in disapproval, "Not gonna happen, love. But you can put your sound arrangement in here as well because I know how much you like to be surrounded by sound. And our DVDs will have one shelf so they will practically be married", she snickered. "I don't know what we're going to do with the smaller spare room, though. Keep it for guests?"

"We need somewhere to study, Arizona."

Huffing, the blonde answered, "But the bed works just fine."

"No. If you're going to put your foot down on the no TV in our bedroom thing, I'm going to put mine down on your studying and making homework on our bed habit."

"Not fair!", she pouted.

"Picture it that way", Callie suggested, "two desks, one for you, one for me. With beyond stuffed shelves on the walls. Every book and encyclopedia we could possibly need could be in there. And when we're done, we just switch off the light and walk out, let work be work until the morning comes. No reminders of theses that need to be done or waiting homework in our bedroom."

"It would be like an utopia", Arizona agreed with a soft laugh. The prospect of not having to clean her bed every night before going to bed sounded like heaven. "Okay, I get it."

"So, we're really going to do it?", the Latina asked with a smile.

Blue eyes lit up even more and she was just about to kiss her girlfriend when Mrs. Fielder reentered the apartment. "I am sorry about that, I had to make some arrangements."

"Oh, that's okay. We used the little extra time to take a second look around", Arizona smiled and felt Callie's fingers intertwine with hers. "And we want it."

"Well, you couldn't make me happier", she laughed. "I am sorry I have to rush this now, I have another appointed in about twenty minutes. But I could have everything ready by tomorrow."

"That's good for us. I am sure her father wants to see this place too before we sign anything."

"Understandable", Mrs. Fielder smiled. "I could be here around noon tomorrow with everything to make this place your new home."

"Sounds perfect", the blonde replied. Now that she knew she was going to live here, with her girlfriend – alone – she couldn't wait. "When can we move in?", she asked, eager to start her new life.

"As soon as it is yours, which should be tomorrow if you don't change your mind."

All three of them started to walk towards the front door, but Arizona stopped and turned around to take one last look. Callie laughed softly at her girlfriend's acting. "Oh believe me, she won't. And I won't either."

"Perfect. And now you have to excuse me, I already have to fly across town to make it to my next appointment in time", she said, shaking first Callie's hand and then the blonde's. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Definitely", they answered in unison with big smiles on their faces.

"Have I told you that I love you?", Arizona asked once they were alone again.

"Once or twice", Callie grinned and added, "this week."

"Well, I love you." Spreading her arms as wide as she could, she added, "I love you so much sooooooo much, in fact. You are the best girlfriend in the world and I can't wait to move in with you", she swooned and closed the already small gap between them until their bodies were pressed together.

"It's going to be amazing."

"It's going to be turtely awesome", she whispered against full lips and finally crashed their lips in a fierce kiss. Her tongue immediately stroke along the brunette's bottom lip, asking for permission. She didn't care that they were standing in the middle of a hallway of an apartment building in Cambridge. She didn't care that there were other people living on this floor too that could come out at any point. She just wanted to kiss Callie and she needed to kiss her properly. And when Callie complied and their tongues met in a well-practiced dance, both let out a low moan of appreciation.

Pulling away when her lungs screamed for oxygen, she asked, "Can we go now? I really want to see the campus today."

"Let's go", Callie smiled and took her girlfriend's hand.

"I see you tomorrow, new home of mine", Arizona said.

"You're such a dork", the brunette laughed. "But I love you too. 'Cause you're my dork."

xxx

„Rock my world into the sunlight", Arizona's voice echoed loud and clear through the almost empty apartment as she turned up the volume of the radio. Using the still clean paint roller as a microphone and making Callie laugh from her spot at the breakfast bar, she sang along the lines with all her heart.

They'd decided to paint one wall of the living room in a deep red and put a bright couch in front of it. It was actually the only wall Callie had put her foot down on and insisted on the color. Arizona had wanted pastel and warm colors like light yellow, blue and green, because according to her, she couldn't live in Dracula's Castle – and don't even start about studying in one. But the Latina had agreed to living in an 'Easter basket' if that was what made her girlfriend happy. She'd do almost everything to see the blonde smile. But she also needed at least one wall to be different and this one went so well with the kitchen counter.

"Make this dream the best I've ever known", Addison chimed in along with the music playing in the background, the paint brush being her small microphone but she got the rock moves going very good. She had offered to help and both, Callie and Arizona had shared a look of disbelief. But here the redhead was, wearing an old shirt and washed out shorts, her hair tied back in a loose bun and the paint and brush ready to work.

"Dirty dancing in the moonlight, take me down like I'm a domino", the blonde sang and ground her body into the brunette's; strong enough to make Callie feel all kinds of feelings but also briefly enough to keep her from jumping her bones right that second in front of Addison.

Laughing, Callie turned the volume down again. "Will we actually get some work done here today?", she asked. "Or will you two keep singing and pretending to be rock stars for the next three hours before we have to go and get you all settled at the dorm, Addie? Because if that is the case, I should call the store and tell them that they can't bring our furniture tomorrow."

"We're awesome rock stars, Calliope. Don't you think Addie?"

"Definitely. We're hot!", the redhead agreed.

Letting out a breath, Callie rolled her eyes. "Do you want to sleep on the ground? Because I'd vote for working pretty fast if that means I get to sleep in our new bed tomorrow night."

"Oooh, our bed", the blonde smiled. "Okay, Red, start working!", she demanded and spun around, making her braids fly through the air.

"You just want to rock her world into the sunlight", Addison teased and laughed out loud as the blonde next to her froze on the spot, her cheeks covered with a deep red. "Oh, maybe we could use your blush to paint the wall", she suggested and held the paint next to Arizona's face to compare the shades. "What do you say, Callie? It works just fine."

"Would you just stop?!", Arizona protested and then whined, "Calliope!"

"Children", Callie laughed and pointed at Addison, "You, stop covering my wall with red hearts and you", her finger pointed at her girlfriend, "stop whining and start working."

"And who made you the boss?", Addie asked, her perfectly shaped eyebrows raising with her question. "And if you don't like my hearts, why don't you just paint your precious wall yourself instead of sitting around?"

"Nobody did", she clarified. "And I am not just sitting around. I finished the models to put the turtles on our bathroom walls", she stated and held one of them in the air for Arizona to look at it. "Because what my girlfriend wants, my girlfriend gets – mostly", she added with a grin as the blonde started to jump up and down on her heels again. She'd been like that every day since they saw the apartment for the first time. She was even more bouncy when they actually sealed the deal and it had only gotten worse the more time had passed and the closer their moving date got. Going out to get new furniture had been an adventure in itself. Arizona seemed to want just everything. And every time Callie had thought the blonde had finally made a decision, she'd changed her mind in a heartbeat.

Quirking her eyebrows even more, she asked, "What is it with all these turtles anyways?", as she drew a huge heart on the wall and wrote 'A+C' into it. "Seriously, I don't get it."

Arizona shrugged her shoulders and dipped the roller into the paint for the first time as she replied with her usual cute voice, "Turtlesmean something special to us."

"Something special? What's so special about turtles?"

"She's right, Addie", Callie stated. "When I had just lost my family and was in the hospital, Arizona gave me her Mr. Turtles to keep me company."

"And he did", the blonde added with a smile. "I told her that I wanted him back once she got discharged, but-"

"She told me I could keep him a few days later because she still had the baby turtle. And frankly, Mr. Turtles kept my nightmares away too, so I was happy she gave him to me."

"But the six years old Callie thought a baby should never be without its mother so she bought me a new one, Mrs. Turtle. And all of them have been with us ever since. Because turtles are awesome and ours have special powers" she finished the story with a smile. There was no way she'd trade their turtles for anything in the world.

Letting out a sigh, Addison recalled her first conversation with Callie the day they'd met in the cafeteria. Their relationship was like a fairytale. A Disney movie coming true. And although it was really sickeningly cute at times when they couldn't stop making goo goo eyes at each other, their relationship was also magnificently beautiful and she'd witnessed it growing stronger over the year they were friends. "And that's how their love story began...", she trailed off and started to paint out the big heart.

"Kinda, yeah", the Latina smiled, looking at her girlfriend with love in her eyes.

"I still don't get why you can't just like cats or dogs like normal people do...", Addison teased some more, she didn't dare to look at Arizona though. The blonde could handle some teasing but sometimes, she snapped and Addison did not want to end up with a red face.

"Oh, we could have a little kitten, Calliope."

"No!", the brunette stated in a stern voice, leaving no room to argue with her.

"No?", Arizona asked nevertheless.

"No, because... because you'd only call... call him or her t-t-turtle anyways", the redhead barely got out between her laughs and she had to cough in the end.

"I would not do that!", she protested instantly. Putting a finger on her lips and thinking about it for a second she added, "It's a cute name though..."

"No, because we don't have time for a kitten, Arizona. We'll be studying our asses off to stay on top. There will be days we will barely make it to our bedroom or bump into doors and walls because we can't keep our eyes open. We don't have time to cuddle with a little kitten or to potty-train it. So, no. No to having a kitten for now." And probably for a few years because after college, there was med school waiting for them and then internship and residency. She would be happy if they will make it out alive.

Putting down the roller, the blonde whined, "Why do you have to be so adult all the time?"

"Because one of us has to use her brain", she teased. "And if it wasn't for me, you would have wrecked our car just like Addie wracked _three_ in under a year."

"Hey!", the redhead yelled, "I did not _wrack_ three cars."

"Just two", Arizona added and laughed. "Still enough for your father to make you move into a dorm room and take away your credit card and trust fund."

"Seriously, guys. You know it. I did not wrack three or even two cars", she defended. "And one time I wasn't even in the car!"

"Right. The hydrant grew legs, walked over to your car and jumped into you fender."

"Okay, that was me. I admit that. But it was the only time it was my fault."

"Oh Addie, you know that this is not true. And the one time you were not in the car, you parked it at the worst spot ever where no one could see it. That it wasn't hit by another car for almost four hours was a miracle", Callie pointed out.

"And you just don't dash over a parking lot with 50 miles per hour", the blonde deadpanned. Even she did not do this and she loved to drive as fast as possible. And she secretly still did it when Callie was not with her. She just couldn't stop the daredevil inside herself. And maybe she didn't want to.

"You're one to talk", the redhead grumbled. "I think I need new friends."

"Oh come on, Ads, you love us", Arizona sang and then continued with painting the wall.

"Yeah, don't know why though." But then she looked at the heart on the wall and inhaled deeply. She loved them because they were not fake. They were who they were. Callie and Arizona. Madly in love with each other and probably the best friends she'd ever had in her life. Maybe it was a Boston versus Seattle thing, but she had never been that close with her old friends. They were all about money and shopping and though she loved it too, it was just not the only thing on her mind. She loved science and math and creepy movies. And she thanked God that her best friends loved at least the first two things. Callie even liked creepy movies, but Arizona would rather eat her own finger than fear the boogie man – that's what she said the last time she tried to convince her to watch 'The Orphan' with her. Yet again, they'd ended up watching 'August Rush', Arizona reasoning that – after all – the boy was an orphan too.

"Oh, I know the reason. We're awesome friends."

"Way to be humble, baby", the Latina announced on her way to the bathroom.

"There's no need to be humble when it's the truth!", the blonde countered loud enough for her girlfriend to hear but then she lowered her voice and nudged the redhead's hip as she said, "seriously though, we love you Addie."

"I love you guys too", the redhead grinned sheepishly and wrote another 'A' into the heart.

"Keep working!", Callie ordered from the bathroom, knowing all too well that while her girlfriend will love to see their walls in her chosen colors, she was just not looking forward to painting them. She was glad they would not have to set up their furniture, it would take days to get it all done with Arizona's disposition of getting distracted and the missing muscular strength.

"Geez, bossy much?", the blonde yelled back and Callie could actually hear Addison laugh along with her girlfriend.

"You still want those turtles, do you?", the brunette asked, her arms crossed over her chest and her side resting against the door frame. "Because if you don't get the walls done, I might forget how to paint at all."

"Are you blackmailing me now?", Arizona asked, her moth parted in disbelief. Callie would not do that.

"Nope, just making sure we can move in tomorrow", she said. "And it's really not that much. It's three more walls after this and you are working as a team, it's doable. That is, if you start doing it properly."

Pouting, Arizona looked at Addison who decided to turn back to the wall, the heart now completely filled out. "You are no fun."

"We can have fun tomorrow. Business before pleasure, baby."

"Mhmm, pleasure", Arizona moaned, her mind wandering off to their new bed and all the things they could do in _their new bed_, without their parents or her brother sleeping across the hall. "Much pleasure..."

"Arizona! Gross!", the redhead's voice ripped her out of her daydream.

Blue eyes flashed up and a mischievous grin was practically glued to her face with dimples and everything, as she reasoned, "What? It is most definitely pleasure and satisfying! Maybe you should try it out one day. You know, test the waters on the girl on girl side. Not with my Calliope though! That's where I draw the line of friendship."

"I can't hear you. Lalalalalalala", Addison chanted and plugged her ears with her fingers.

Callie just laughed out loud and slipped back into the bathroom. Her friend and her girlfriend could sure be a handful, beyond chaotic and very childish. Yet she couldn't wait to start their new life away from home and was excited, not only about living together with Arizona but also about going to college and experiencing the new chapter of her life with both of them.

xxx

Callie was still surprised that their new place was actually ready to welcome them and their new furniture the next day when they had made it to Addie's dorm four hours later. Admittedly, an hour later than originally planned, but still early enough for the redhead to get settled without stressing out

"I can't believe my father pulls through with this", Addison groaned while pushing one of the heavier moving boxes over the threshold of her new home. "You guys are so lucky."

"Stop complaining about it, stop wracking cars and continue walking instead", Callie demanded. She was carrying a box filled with what felt like bricks. Hundreds of bricks and if she could not put it down any time very soon, she'd end up with arms like and orangutan. Thankfully, it was the last box.

"Stop accusing me of being a car-wrecker. It's not like I did it just out of fun or something. It just happened", she defended and pushed the box the last inches inside her dorm room.

"Well, then stop making it happen. Maybe you'll get your money back by the end of the first year, Addison Adrianne Forbes Montgomery", Arizona grinned when she held the door open for Callie. Pulling Addie's suitcase into the room, she closed the door once everything and everyone was inside. She had waited at the car and had watched the redhead's belongings while the Latina and Addison had carried the first two rounds of boxes alone.

"I knew I never should have told you my middle name", Addison cringed.

"Yep, major mistake, Addie", Callie laughed at the rookie mistake of her friend. Choosing 'truth' during a game of 'truth or dare' with Arizona was not a good idea. She could make a killer confess a murder with her narrowed eyes and her tongue peeking out between her lips and the Latina had learned that pretty early – must have been around the age of seven.

Ignoring the redhead's remark, she started looking around, finding two beds that were not put on opposites walls. Two nightstands. Two desks. Two closets and a bathroom. "This is actually kinda nice. There's enough place for two people and you have an en-suite bathroom, so at least you don't have to walk half naked through half the dorm to take a shower", she joked. Though she was sure that wouldn't be an issue for Addison, since she was pretty self-confident with her body.

"If you like it that much, we can switch. I'm sure Callie wouldn't mind living with me."

"Nice try, Addie", the Latina answered and bumped her friend with her hip. "Arizona does have a point here, though. It could have been worse."

"It should not be like this in the first place! I was supposed to get a place of my own too! Bizzy promised! I groveled and begged. I told him he could have my cards and the trust fund, but I begged him not to make me move in here", she whined as she flopped down on one of the beds, her arm covering her eyes in an instant. "I'm eighteen years old and my life is over."

"Drama queen", the blonde laughed and sat down beside her friend. "You'll survive, belief me. And if it gets too much or your roommate snores like my dad, you can crash at our place."

Glaring at her girlfriend, Callie reminded her, "We are not turning the spare room into a guest room."

"Not even for me?", the redhead asked, giving the Latina the best puppy-dog-eyes she could muster.

"Nope."

"What kind of a friend are you?"

"The best. You should embrace the chance of meeting new people, of getting to know somebody new, maybe she's nice and a good friend."

"You sound like my dad. And what was your main reason again for getting an apartment away from campus, instead of living in a dorm room?", Addison asked, her eyes changed to shooting daggers at the brunette. "Oh, right. NOT wanting a roommate. Hypocrite."

"It was not the main reason. It was on my list. But my main reason is-"

"Your unconditional love for me", Arizona chimed in before grabbing the Latina's hand and placing a soft kiss in her palm. "Right?", she asked, batting her eyelashes at her girlfriend.

Sighing at the softest touch to her skin, Callie could only nod. She was so screwed. Blue eyes and dimples, plus a kiss, it was the deathliest combination for her. And Arizona could never find out about it, because then they'd probably end up with ten kittens and at least one turtle.

"I love you too", the blonde replied with a sweet smile and pressed another kiss onto each of Callie's knuckles.

"Get a room", Addison groaned.

"We do have a room. We actually have a whole apartment", Arizona teased.

"Yeah, rub it in. Can we please, _please_ not talk about this right now? Or I might use you to bully her into letting me move in", she said, her gaze flickering between her two friends.

"No", Callie stated again. "Not gonna happen."

"You are so... so..." Her thought was interrupted by the harsh knocking on the door. "Yeah?"

As the door opened, it revealed a girl with straight blonde hair. She was tall and slim, maybe even a little boney. Her blue eyes scanned the room before she stepped in. "I am sorry, I knocked a little softer before but I got no response. I heard voices but it sounded like you were fighting? Not how I wanted to spend the first seconds in my dorm room. I am Theodora. I mean, Teddy. Teddy Altman."

Jumping up from her place on the bed, Arizona held out her hand for Teddy to shake it. "Arizona Robbins", she introduced herself. "Nice to meet you, Theodora."

"Uhm... yeah. You too. I guess. Are you my roommate?"

"Nope", the redhead said and stood up as well. "That would be me. Do you snore?" It was one of her biggest fears. She was used to sleeping alone with her sleep mask pulled over her eyes and no sound or whatsoever filling her room. She loved her nights to be dark and silent.

"Addie, filter", Callie said, rolling her eyes.

"What?", the other blonde asked confused.

"Snore. At night. In your sleep, Theodora", Arizona laughed.

"Ugh, no, I don't. And it's Teddy", she corrected.

"Ha!", she snorted, "That's too late. She'll probably keep calling you Theodora whether you want it or not. I'm Addison. Or Addie. Ads and Red work fine as well. Since I know them, I react to almost every form of my name." She shook the blonde's hand though Teddy didn't even seem to notice that since she didn't even blink.

"Except for Adrianne", Arizona announced.

Shaking her head to get her mind back to reality, she asked, "Adrianne?" Teddy could not keep up with the girls. They were either on drugs or really weird and she didn't know which she would prefer.

Stepping in front of Addie and Arizona, the brunette held out her hand as well. "Never mind them. They are at each other's throats more often than not, but it's all in a friendly way. I am Callie."

"Uhm... hi", Teddy replied, her brain had zoned out again. Why was she so nervous? She tried to shake her hand but made a fool of herself when she missed the Latina's hand because she wasn't looking what she was doing. "Teddy."

"Yeah, you mentioned that before", Callie replied with a wide smile. "So, _Teddy_, what are you here for?"

Arizona did not like the way Teddy was looking at her girlfriend. She gave the other blonde the once-over with narrowed eyes and her hand reached out for Callie to pull her closer to her, suddenly needing to feel a body on body connection with her girlfriend.

Noticing the look Arizona was giving her, she wondered whether she should run for her life. "Uhm, pretty much everything I have to do to go to med school afterwards", she replied politely. "Can I help you with anything?", she asked, her question strictly directed at Arizona.

"Stop looking at my girlfriend like that." She didn't know why, but she instantly felt a hint of jealousy with the way Teddy was eying her Calliope.

"What the-?", the Latina started.

"She did", the blonde countered before Callie could say another word.

"What? I- I wasn't- I am sorry. I didn't mean to- I-", she stammered. "I wasn't staring or anything. I am just nervous that I would act like a complete idiot which I obviously did. I am not good at meeting new people. And I thought meeting one was hard and now I meat three at once", she rambled. "It's always been just me and my best friend. I am usually not like this. Just... new people scare me, new places scare me, new everything scares the shit out of me. I am not interested in girls. Never been. I mean, you're beautiful, really. But you're a girl... and girls are just not my thing."

"Amen to that", Addie laughed, finding Teddy's answer quite amusing.

"Never been with a girl?", Arizona asked again, needing reassurance.

"Never, I swear."

It was like hitting a switch when Arizona suddenly let go of Callie and hugged Teddy, leaving her and the other two in the room stunned. "Thank God. 'Cause I think we can all be awesome friends since we all want to go to med school."

"You too?", Teddy asked once she found her voice again. And when she received only nods, she let out a breath. That made it a lot easier, at least, she thought it did. Only time would tell. But for now, she was happy. Addison seemed nice. Callie seemed nice. Arizona... well, she'd make sure to never be on her bad side, but other than that, she seemed nice too.

"Okay, we should leave and let you unpack and get to know each other, since you're roomies now. Addie, we'll see you tomorrow for breakfast. You can come too, Teddy. Addie knows the way to our hotel and there's a nice cafe just around the corner."

"I'll be there, 9.30, sharp."

"I don't want to impose, really."

"Oh shush", Arizona smiled. "You're not as long as you don't want to get in my girlfriend's pants."

"I don't", Teddy answered once again. "Promised."

"Perfect. See you tomorrow", she grinned and opened the door. "9.30, Ads. Not quarter to ten."

"Geez, I know how to read the clock!"

Teddy leaned closer to Callie. "Are they always like that?"

"Yes. But you'll learn to love it, I promise. I see you tomorrow."

"Looking forward?", she asked nervously, still not quite sure what to think of the little gang. They seemed funny to be around, though.

Closing the door behind them, Callie pulled the blonde into her body. "What was that in there? You scared the hell out of that poor girl."

"She was staring at you."

"She did not."

"She did. And you are my girlfriend. I am the only one who should be allowed to stare at you. And besides, it's okay now, since she's not into girls."

"You were jealous", it dawned on Callie.

"No", she protested. "Okay, yes I was. You're hot, Calliope and everybody can see this. You are hot and beautiful. But you are also my girlfriend and a lot to lose."

"You won't lose me, Arizona", the Latina said softly, her right hand lightly cupping the blonde's cheek. "I love you." Not caring that they were in the middle of a college dorm hallway, she leaned down and connected their lips in a chaste kiss. "I don't know about you, but I am hungry. What about pizza for dinner?"

Giggling against full lips, Arizona answered, "And you told my dad we wouldn't survive of junk food."

"Well, we won't once our kitchen is all set up. So you should savor the moment and taste as best as you can."

"You're joking, right?"

"Nope. And you will thank me in the end because my food will keep the wheels in your head turning and pizza won't."

"Can we at least make a compromise? Like... pizza at least once a week?"

"Once a month."

"Calliope! Pasta?", she asked, her voice filled with hope.

"Maybe", she shrugged and started walking. When Arizona didn't follow right away, she stopped and turned around, the megawatt smile plastered on her face. "Are you coming?" Not even ten seconds later, the small body of her girlfriend crashed into hers and she felt Arizona's hand in hers as she laced their fingers. One more night to go and they would move into their new home. She couldn't wait.

* * *

Hello, Teddy =)


	35. Life is a Road Part 4

AN: I am SOO sorry I haven't uploaded this repost. I've literally forgotten about it because of real life stress. Sorry sorry sorry. I'll catch up to that, new updates for tomorrow, the day after tomorrow and Sunday.

* * *

"Arizona, hurry up", Callie hollered from where she was sitting on the hotel bed. Her girlfriend was still in the bathroom, getting ready.

"You insisted, again, that I should dry my hair, Calliope. If I would not have to do that, I would have been ready to go ten minutes ago", the blonde huffed as she exited the bathroom, her hair tied back into a loose ponytail, the recently cut bangs falling perfectly in her face. She really didn't see the need of drying her hair. Blow dryer or not, it always fell over her shoulder in its natural blonde waves and all she really had to do was brushing it through. "Besides, it's Addie we're talking about. She's probably still in her bed, snoring away."

"She's not. She sent a text, saying that Teddy and she had to be somewhere before breakfast and that they are already almost there. Would you please hurry now?" She got up and grabbed her light jacket.

"Geez, I'm almost ready. And it's not like we have to walk for an hour to get to the cafe. Just let me put on some shoes", Arizona answered and rolled her eyes. "Is everything packed anyways?"

"Yes. Everything's set and ready to go as soon as we want to check out. The moving company confirmed the arrival for 11.30 and they will do most of the work, so all we will have to do is unpack and decorate", she replied with a smile. "Maybe we get something done before we have to be at the information session at six. I don't know how long it's scheduled, so I rather have the most necessary things done, just in case-"

Cutting her girlfriend's rambling off with a kiss, she giggled against full lips as Callie seemed to relax instantly. "What did I say about breathing, love?", she asked when she pulled away. "You are not allowed to die from lack of oxygen, are we clear?", she reminded her.

"Sorry. You know I tend to ramble when I am nervous."

"There's no need to be nervous, though. Everything is perfectly planned. We have four days to unpack boxes, so I'd say we're save. The only thing we really need to get ready today is our bedroom and that should be no problem at all", she grinned and opened the door. "I am ready to go, by the way."

Smiling, Callie took the hand Arizona was holding out for her and checked once again if she had the key card. "Okay. Me too", she said and closed the door behind them. Walking down the stairs and finally out of the little hotel, the brunette watched as Arizona held her face in the sun.

Blue eyes fluttered shut and she took a deep breath. "I think, I really like it here. Not so rainy."

"I think we'll miss the rain sooner or later. We grew up with it, we're so used to it", Callie said and waited for a witty response, but nothing came out of the blonde's mouth. "You look like you are thinking really hard."

"I am."

"What about?"

"What I want to eat for breakfast", Arizona smirked, opening one eye to see her girlfriend's lips curl up into a beautiful smile, as they walked down the street.

"You'll choose pancakes anyways", the Latina answered. "You'll sit there and study the menu up and down so long you could almost memorize it and then in the end, you'll order your favorite breakfast."

"Maybe I want something different today... but pancakes is always the best choice."

"For you", Callie laughed just as they rounded the corner and she instantly spotted Addie sitting with her back to them. She'd know that red hair everywhere. "Oh. See, I told you they'd be here already." Subconsciously, she started to walk faster.

"They are still alive, Calliope", the blonde chuckled. "And they will survive waiting for another minute." Her girlfriend was overly accurate. Always on time, never late – and if she was, she gave the waiting person a heads up, even if it was only five minutes. She wondered, if Callie would ever change when it came to that, but then again, she loved her just the way she was and wouldn't change any of the brunette's habits, not even the one that was forcing her to eat healthy food. "Good morning", she chirped as they reached the girls.

"Good morning", Addison smiled whereas Teddy's grumbled 'morning' was hardly understandable.

"What's wrong with her?", the dimpled young woman asked and sat down across from their friends in the chair Callie had pulled for her. "Thanks."

"Yeah, you look tired, Teddy. I hope it's not because of Miss Jealous-Pants here", she grinned and leaned over to peck her girlfriend's cheek, telling her that she didn't mean it in a bad way. They had actually talked about their first encounter with Teddy last night and Arizona had assured her, that her jealousy was gone with the other blonde's explanation. "She didn't mean to come off so harsh."

"Oh, I did", Arizona stated with one hand already fumbling with the menu. "The way she was staring at you, if she had had ulterior thoughts, I would have given her a piece of my mind."

"I'm just tired. Rough night", Teddy explained.

"Party in the hallway?", the Latina asked. Her hand slid under the table and on the blonde's thigh. They were so used to always be connected in any kind of way, that she hadn't even noticed doing it until her girlfriend's bright smile caught her eyes.

Looking over to her roommate, Addison answered casually, "Oh yeah. We slept together."

Teddy's blue eyes went wide. She had just taken a sip of the freshly pressed orange juice, had to press her lips together to not spit out the liquid that was still in her mouth. Turning her face, she stared at the redhead, not believing what Addie just had said.

"You did... WHAT?", Callie asked.

"Way to go Red!", Arizona laughed. "One night in you dorm room and you already got the girl under your blanket. Respect!"

"No!", Teddy shouted. "Not like that."

"Well, we shared a bed", the redhead shrugged. She was so nonchalant about it, that Callie narrowed her eyes at her friend. There was no way they actually slept together.

"Okay, spill it", she urged.

"I thought you said you were not into girls", Arizona asked at the same time as she remembered yesterday's conversation, blue eyes flashing in Teddy's direction.

"Well, Teddy was wet and then there was some screaming and a shirt was taken off and then we shared a bed", she answered and took a sip of her coffee. Until now, she was the only one who enjoyed coffee. Arizona was still very satisfied with her morning cocoa, finding coffee to bitter and Callie went with cocoa or even tea.

"Stop talking!", the skinny blonde demanded and held her hand over Addison's mouth. "Do you know how that sounds? Do you want me killed?"_,_ she asked and nodded over to Arizona. "It's not like that, really. There was an accident."

Tongue peeking out between her teeth, Arizona studied her friend's face and then Teddy's. "Where you slipped, lost your shirt and landed in Ads' bed partly naked?"

"No. Nothing like that. I swear. I am not- we did not. No! Damn you, Addison Montgomery!" She was beet red and really feared for her life.

Squeezing her girlfriend's thigh and then rubbing circles over the jeans-clad flesh as she sensed the tension in the blonde's body, Callie looked at Teddy and asked, "Why don't you tell us what happened. We know Addie's mouth."

Teddy took a deep breath. "I woke up in the middle of the night because I felt cold. I thought I had just lost the blanket during sleep, or something, but when I touched around for it, everything was wet. I looked up at the ceiling and then it happened. A drop of water landed straight on my forehead. My blanket was already wet, even the part of my shirt that was not covered was wet, which was a lot."

"And then she woke me up with a scream so high pitched not even Arizona could manage while watching a scary movie", Addie laughed and got an evil glare from her roommate for it, it didn't bother her though as she continued to tell the happenings of the night, "I switched on the light and saw her standing in the middle of the room, all wet."

"And she seriously asked me if I hadn't made it to the bathroom in time. Thanks for having so much faith in me."

Raising her hands in defense and saying that after all, she didn't know Teddy for that long, she leaned back in her chair and decided to enjoy her hot coffee for a little bit. She even closed her eyes as the liquid ran down her throat.

"It was not funny, really. I stood there in my shorts and a wet shirt-"

"Which says 'What? Never seen a gift from God?'", Addie grinned, making the Latina and Arizona laugh too.

"Well, the one you got me from your side of the dresser says 'I'm too sexy for this shirt' so you're not allowed to mock my shirt", the blonde spit back. "Anyways-"

"Why did you gave her your favorite shirt?", Callie asked.

"I just grabbed the first one", Addison answered and tried to brush it off just like that.

"The question is, why did she gave her a shirt in the first place", Arizona chimed and looked at Teddy who was playing with the glass in front of her, turning it between her hands. "Teddy?"

"Oh, right. Well, I had no clue what to do, there was no way I was going to sleep in a wet bed and it was in the middle of the night, so I basically just stood there for a good five minutes until Addie threw the shirt at me and told me to at least get out of that t-shirt."

"It was nice though, I could see a lot", the redhead smirked. "Hey, did you just kick me", she glared at Teddy.

"Nope, that was me", Callie grinned before she took her eyes off the redhead and turned her attention back to her friend's roommate.

"So I changed and when I was done, Addie was back under the blanket with her back against the wall. But I still had no place to sleep, so-"

"So I offered her a spot in my bed. And she was all like 'It's a single bed, Addison. We can't share a single bed. It's too small.' And I just told her to shove it and to get her bony ass over so we could finally get back to sleep. She was freezing. Like, seriously freezing and shaking. Ever tried to sleep next to an ice block? Not an experience I needed to have. But, since I am a nice person, I warmed her up. It was funny, because she was lying next to me as stiff as a board, very careful not to touch me."

"I get touchy in my sleep... but at least then I have an excuse. But Addie spooned me and just when I thought that she was just trying to be helpful she told me not to get all excited because she was just trying to warm me up and to just relax and enjoy it."

Callie laughed. That was so typically her friend. Addison had a mouth that hardly had a filter and mostly no filter at all. It had caused funny as well as awkward and embarrassing moments in their friendship. But she knew without a doubt that her friend had a really good heart beating in her chest.

"Aaw, you're her knight in shining armor, Addie. Who knew you could be so romantic", Arizona gushed.

"More like my knight in a shirt that says 'I'll be the best you'll ever have'", Teddy deadpanned and immediately, everybody on the table burst into a fit of laughter. Her roommate sure had a weird liking for funny shirts. But then again, who was she to talk? She had a few of those shirts herself, most of them thanks to her best friend.

"Well, it worked, didn't it? The moment you were defrosted, you fell back to sleep", she answered. "What Teddy forgot to say is that, when I woke up this morning", Addie continued, smirking already, "she was watching me."

"Oh, you were?", Arizona asked, wiggling her eyebrows. Somehow, deep inside she sensed that – if there was a possibility of Teddy liking girls – Addie would be more her type. And frankly, she thought, Addie and Teddy went great together, their names definitely did.

"Only because I did not want to wake you and I needed to go to the bathroom", the blonde defended. It was the truth, well partly. She had eased into the warm body of her roommate and she had watched the redhead up close in the morning. The even breathing through the slightly parted lips. Lips that she admittedly had admired yesterday and this morning again before her eyes had flickered up to Addie's eyelashes. So long, truly beautiful.

"Well, what did you say when she caught you?", Arizona wanted to know.

"Nothing", Teddy replied with a shrug. "Because Ads had already asked if I was done watching her face or if I wanted to memorize it for a drawing in art class."

"Or", the redhead added with a wide grin, "if it was because she was in doubt whether she should or should not kiss my perfectly kissable lips."

"You are such a goof, Red", the blonde laughed and noticed with amusement that Teddy had – again – turned beet red. Maybe it was even tomato red, the fact was, it was very red. "Can we order breakfast now? I am starving."

"Well, that depends...", the Latina said.

"Depends on what, Calliope?"

"Are you done browsing through the menu and going for your usual pancakes or do you want to memorize the menu some more?"

"Oh ha ha, Calliope", Arizona replied, but she wasn't mad. She could never be mad at her girlfriend for knowing her so well. Closing the menu in front of her as the waitress stepped up to their table she said, "I'll take the pancakes with chocolate sauce and an orange juice please."

Callie just smiled while everyone was giving the orders. She just knew her blonde. Sometimes even better than herself. Kissing the dimple on Arizona's right cheek, she thought that her time in Cambridge could not have started any better as the conversation around her continued to flow as easily as it had before.

xxx

Sitting in the auditorium, Callie was shooing everybody away who wanted to take one of the seats she was saving for her girlfriend, Addie and Teddy, since they all had to use the bathroom. She watched students walking in and out of the room and up and down the stairs. Some of them made a beeline for the last row. One or two were brave enough to take place in the first, but when she got here, she had thought that a place in the middle would be perfect. Still close enough but not too close.

After breakfast, they had gotten their luggage from the hotel and then they had all gone to their new place to let the moving company in and start unpacking what was ready to get unpacked. Addison had once again offered her helping hand and Teddy had joined them – also helping – since she had nowhere else to go with their room closed and the not knowing whether they were able to change rooms. After all, it was dripping through the ceiling and even if that could be stopped, the ceiling and the wall were moist. Not really the healthiest place to live. Callie hadn't mind having Teddy there too. The skinny blonde was fun to be around and had warmed up a lot since yesterday, in spite of Addie's action from this morning. Callie was actually sure that the redhead didn't even mind being forced to live in a dorm room anymore. She could see them all being really great friends throughout college, maybe, if they were lucky even through med school after that.

"Hey beautiful, is this seat taken?", a male voice asked and she looked up, finding a young man with blue eyes and dark blonde short hair looking at her.

"Uhm, yeah, it is, actually", she answered with a polite smile.

"I am Mark Sloan, freshman", he introduced himself, offering his hand and a bright smile. "And what's your beautiful name?"

"Callie", she replied shortly, not knowing what to think of Mark. He looked nice but he was also bluntly trying to flirt with her and she didn't like that. She didn't like people flirting with her in general, aside from Arizona, of course. But she was her girlfriend, that was totally different.

"And, do you have a surname, Callie?"

"Torres", Callie said, the Spanish pronunciation of her last name rolling perfectly over her lips.

"Ah, Spanish? Mexican? Cuban?"

"Spanish."

"So, Callie, since we're not strangers anymore, is this seat taken?", he tried again and winked at her.

"Yes, it actually still is", she answered, her face lighting up as she saw her girlfriend and Addison walking into the auditorium. She wondered where Teddy got stuck, but thought that she had maybe met her best friend in the hall.

"Your smile tells me different, babe. Come on, let me sit here."

"Nope, I said it's taken", she told him again.

"And by whom?", he asked curiously. Until now, there was no girl that could resist his charm and he wanted to make sure to get to know the stunning girl he was talking to.

Making sure to watch him, she answered, "My girlfriend", and laughed when the muscles in his face twitched and his mouth fell open.

"That's right, Mister. This seat is taken and now move", Arizona announced, using the sweetest voice she could muster and waited for the stranger to turn around.

"Aaaaaand... who are you?", Mark asked as he eyed the blonde up and down and then went over to do the same with the redhead behind her. He felt like he had gone to heaven. This place seemed to be full of beautiful girls.

"The girlfriend", she grinned at him as she moved past the man to sit down beside Callie. Placing one hand on the Latina's cheek and the other one in her neck, she pulled her closer, crashing their lips demonstratively longer and deeper than she'd usually did in public. Her tongue met the brunette's and both automatically moaned into the kiss.

"We're still here, you know?", Addison laughed. She was used to the passion that sometimes overcame her friends, it was fun to watch others witness it, though.

"Mark Sloan", Teddy came running up the stairs. "Stop hitting on every girl within the range of ten feet. I finally have female friends and I want to keep it like that." She slipped into the row next to Addison and put the coffee to go she'd gotten from the coffee cart on the little table for her new friend.

"Thanks", the redhead smiled.

"Hey, where's my coffee? I thought you were _my_ best friend. And why do I not know your new friends", Mark complained.

"Because I wanted them to like me before they'd meet you. You managed to ruin every friendship I could have had before I even got the chance to have one. Because you kept hitting on my possible friends since you were fourteen, Mark. That's who you are and I know that. But, I need female friends too, okay?" Sipping on her coffee, she looked at Addie, Arizona and Callie, all of them had bemused looks on their faces. "Ladies, this handsome yet strong-headed man without manners is Mark Sloan, best friend of mine since the end of Junior High and although I tried my best, he did not change", she laughed. "Mark, that's Addison, Arizona and Callie. And no, you will not hit on either of them, got it?"

"Geez, yes", the man said and sat down on a seat behind Teddy. "Can we stay friends if I promise not to hit on either of them?"

Turning around to look at her best friend, Teddy asked, "You sure you can manage that?"

"Yes."

"Perfect", she grinned and turned her attention back to her new group of friends. "What?"

"He's your best friend?", Arizona asked. She could not believe it. They were so different.

"Yes. He's... special, I know. But somewhere behind that womanizer behavior, he's a good guy. I know that it's hard to believe, because he always acts like this, but he can be nice as well. Isn't that right, Mark?"

"Uhm, yeah. Very nice."

"And he will be solely nice, right Mark?"

"I already said yes to not hitting on them", he defended.

"Being nice and not hitting on my friends is not the same", Teddy glared. She heard the giggles from her friends and had to control her face so she would not laugh herself. It was actually really funny to see Mark like this.

"Fine", he huffed.

"Ladies and gentlemen", echoed a stern voice through the auditorium. None of them had noticed that someone had stepped up to the stage until now. "Please take a seat so we can start. We all want to be out of here before midnight and based on my experience I can assure you that there will be a lot of questions on your side I will try to answer. But to get to do that, we should get started now. Any complains?"

Nobody dared to say a word.

"Great. My name is Sarah Transon and I will be here for you if you're having any problems with theses, homework or even personal problems with your teachers. I will try to help you as best as I can..."

"Let the game begin", Arizona whispered into her girlfriend's ear and kissed her cheek afterwards. She took her hand and laced their fingers, once again happy that Callie was a lefty and they could still hold hands and take notes at the same time.

"Yeah, let the game begin", the Latina smiled and squeezed back when pale fingers held tight to her hand.


	36. We are the lucky ones

Coming home hadn't probably felt this good since she'd found out that she was not forced to move to Sweden four years ago as it did now. Because coming home and even unlocking the door meant coming home to Arizona most days. Of course it had taken some time to adjust to the new situation, but she thought that managing it in less than two weeks was an okay amount of time. There had been some bickering but nothing that couldn't be solved with a soft kiss or dimpled smile and the decision that both needed to start their respective sports again to balance out college stress. After all, swimming and volleyball had been a part of their life since third grade and being able to get rid of some bottled up pressure, at least once or twice a week, in the water or on the court had changed their cranky mood in the best possible ways.

She had also taken on an additional Spanish class, feeling that she had lost a bit of her knowledge in the years of not speaking it. And it felt good, even if that meant coming home around 8pm one evening a week and then still having to make dinner. It was okay because she rather did that than coming home to a burnt out kitchen - or worse - a hurt Arizona. And although the blonde had tried to talk her into making that day - Thursday - the official pizza-day of apartment 502, she had not given in and Arizona had pouted for a good ten minutes and even kind of begged. But Callie had not caved.

So, now she stood in front of their apartment door with her keys jingling in her left hand and a grocery bag in the other. "Hey, baby, I'm home", she called out when she opened the door but got no response. Stepping further into the apartment, she put the groceries down on the kitchen counter and scanned the open living room, finding the TV on but muted and the blanket covered form of her girlfriend on the couch. "Huh?", she wondered. Arizona was usually not one to fall asleep on the couch and even more so not one to sleep that early. Walking over to the couch, the Latina knelt down beside the piece of furniture and stroke some blonde loose strands out of her girlfriend's face. "Hey", she whispered, brushing a light kiss on a pale cheek and let her hand ghost over the blonde's arm.

Feeling a soft touch on her skin, she slowly rose from her sleepy state. Heavy blue eyes fluttered open and she came face to face with the brunette. "You're home already?", she rasped, her voice hoarse from sleep.

"Already? It's quarter to nine", Callie replied with a soft chuckle.

Stifling a yawn, she asked, "Oh? What took you so long then?" She tried to sit up but immediately fell back into the big cushions with a groan.

"Groceries. What's wrong with you? Do you feel sick?" Feeling her girlfriend's forehead with the back of her hand she said, "You're not having a fever."

"No." Looking up into big brown orbs she weight out whether to tell Callie the truth or not, but decided to just stand her woman – so to speak. Truth was, she didn't need to think about it, she always went with the truth, eventually. That's what her parents had taught her. "Calliope?"

"You really don't look okay, sweetie. Do you need anything?"

"No", she answered and shook her head. "I craved mac and cheese earlier…", she confessed, "so I made some and ate it."

"Okay, so you're not hungry anymore? That's okay. I can just wrap up something light and easy and you can get the left overs in case you'll get hungry later." She went to get up from her knees, but Arizona took her hand and pulled her down again.

"And then I craved chocolate and ate some…", she trailed off and somehow felt the need to look away, as she continued, "and now I feel sick."

"You usually can handle mac and cheese and chocolate for dessert without getting sick, so…" She guessed there was more to the story.

"I wanted chips afterwards so I ate them too. My tummy hurts so badly, Calliope", she whined, sounding more like the little girl she was when they'd first met than the seventeen year old beautiful teenager she was.

"No surprise, baby", Callie answered with a sympathetic smile and brushed through her girlfriend's hair. Arizona had always been a sweet tooth. "You got home an hour and a half before me and ate all that? I would have exploded right after the chocolate."

"I was fine after the chocolate", the blonde pouted and held her stomach, the cramps were not nice. "It's just because you make me eat all that healthy stuff every day. Make it go away."

Pushing the blanket down and her girlfriend's top up a little, she leaned down to softly press her lips against the skin. Sending a megawatt smile the blonde's way, she asked, "Better?"

"No. Come cuddle?"

"I'm gonna make you some tea first, okay?"

"Fruit flavoured?" Blue eyes filled with hope looked up to meet her girlfriend's soulful orbs.

"Camomile."

"Euh, yikes. Can't you be the nicest girlfriend ever and give me strawberry tea instead?", she asked. She hated camomile tea. There wasn't really any kind of tea she loved, but camomile and peppermint were the worst. Whereas Callie loved the latter with a little bit of honey and freaking tongue-burning hot. "Please, Calliope?"

"Nope, sorry sweetie, I can't do that. It's not good for your stomach and I think you already had enough sugar for today." She pecked her girlfriend's lips and moved to get up.

Arizona moved with the Latina's body, trying to have their lips and hands connected for as long as possibly until Callie finally pulled away and walked over to the kitchen. "Lots and lots of cuddles with my girlfriend would make my tummy all better", the blonde grumbled before she settled back against the pillow. Picking up the remote from its place on the arm of the couch, she turned up the volume of the TV and zapped around, looking for some music. If she had to swallow down camomile tea, she at least wanted to see Callie dance around the kitchen while making it. And practically the second music filled the room, the Latina's hips started to sway. Arizona couldn't see her hips, but she saw the upper body of the brunette shaking along with her hips and it made her forget her aching abdomen and she giggled.

"What's so funny over there?", Callie asked once she'd switched on the kettle. Opening one of the wall cupboards to get the camomile tea. Even she had to get up on her toes because they hid the 'disgusting' tea in the farthest corner of the top shelf.

"You're just too cute when you're surrounded by music. Always dancing and shaking to the rhythm."

Wriggling her hips some more to the beat and hearing the blonde's laughter fill the room immediately, she thought about her dinner, while making her way into their bedroom to change into a pair of sweats. She wasn't that hungry and with Arizona not eating anyways, she wasn't even in the mood of cooking anymore. "Do you mind if I skip dinner? I know I said I'd make something so you could have the left overs, but I really don't want to make something right now", she said when she came back into the living room, rocking the sweats and hoody style like she always did when she was about to cuddle with Arizona.

"You have to eat something", the blonde reminded her, imitating her mother's voice the way she practiced it over all those years. She even raised her index-finger.

"I know. But I think a banana will do it for tonight."

"You sure? You're not falling back into not eating because you think that you're something you're definitely not?", Arizona asked a little worried. She would probably never forget the time when Callie had felt ugly and fat. Because the brunette had pushed her away and hid herself from her because she thought that Arizona would think that she was not as stunning as she had been with seven pounds less on her body.

Turning around and finding blue eyes, she gave Arizona a smile. "Don't worry. I am just not that hungry."

"And you're sure about that?" the blonde dug deeper, wanting to find the underlying issue – if there was one – before it could get out of hand.

Sighing and knowing why Arizona was so persistent on this, she nodded while filling a cup with hot water and letting the tea bag slide in, she once again turned around. "Yes, baby, I am sure, I promise."

"You would tell me if there was another reason, right?" Her stomach or any other part of her body could ache and cramp as much as it pleased, she would always be more concerned about Callie, whether it was about eating or a fractured limp or whatsoever. Not that she thought Callie would ever have eating disorders, she just didn't want her girlfriend to feel anything else than the miraculous breathtaking woman that she was.

"I would. Now scoot to the edge", she ordered and put the cup down on the coffee table.

"Do you want me to fall on the ground?"

"Nope. Just scoot over a little, okay?"

"Kay", the blonde said and moved so she was lying on the edge.

Seconds later, the Latina climbed over her and settled on her side behind her girlfriend. Pulling her closer to her, she wrapped the light blanket around their pressed bodies and nuzzled her nose into the blonde's neck. Once she was happy with the blanket and the pillow in her back, her left hand slipped beneath Arizona's pair of sweats and she began to caress the soft skin under the fabric with her fingers. It was out of pure habit. Something she'd started years ago and had not let go when she'd found out that Arizona liked the little fondling on her leg. More than once it had indicated a night of – in the beginning – hot make out sessions and later on in their relationship more heated touching. But even if it didn't, just the small gesture and the realization of being connected in a soft intimate way was enough. "Drink your tea", she reminded the blonde.

"But it's hot."

"Mhmm, that's how most people drink their tea, honey."

"But it's camomile", she whined again. "Do I really have to?"

"Yes", Callie whispered and then looked over to the TV. "What are you watching?"

"It's Rizzoli & Isles night on TNT, do you mind?", she asked, turning her head as best as she could in hope of being kissed.

"No."

"Can we still talk, though? You could tell me about your day?", she offered, hesitatingly reaching out for the cup on the table.

"You know my day, baby. You were with me for the most of it."

"Still, tell me, please?"

"Why?", Callie wondered. Because Arizona had in fact been with her the whole day, from the moment they woke up till they parted before Spanish class.

"Just... just because."

The yawn that spilled over the blonde's pink lips told Callie the real reason. Arizona always slept off her pains and sick feelings, and it worked even better when she was listening to the Latina's voice – at least, that's what Arizona had told Callie on countless occasions. "Okay", she smiled and kissed the shell of her girlfriend's ear before she started. "So, I woke up next to a very _very_ beautiful but also very very snoring blonde."

"HEY!", Arizona protested immediately. "I do not snore, Calliope."

"No you don't", Callie answered with a laugh. "But your reaction was still funny."

Furrowing her brows, she stared at the TV-screen. "It's not nice. I am sick and you're being mean to me."

"You're not sick, honey. You've just eaten way too much and you should drink your tea to make it all better." Waiting for Arizona to take at least one sip of the hot liquid, she laughed when her girlfriend made a face to show her disliking. "If I wouldn't know any better, I'd say you're pregnant."

"Well, maybe I am...", she trailed off, "or do I have to remind you how... uhm... last week, you know..." She wasn't usually that shy when it came to talking about sex, especially when it was talking about sex with Calliope. But somehow she could not form her thoughts into words about this certain night last week. Callie had made her come so hard and twice within mere minutes. They both had known that it was possible, but they hadn't made the experience until that night. And just the thought about it was enough to make her horny again. Only today, her horniness was overshadowed by her aching stomach.

"Baby, I am not that good to get you pregnant", the brunette snorted. And oddly, she was very okay with it because just the imagination of having a kid right now was a little frightening – very frightening actually.

"Well, maybe you are", Arizona winked and snuggled deeper into the body behind her. "So, you were saying?"

Looking at her girlfriend with confusion evident in her eyes for a moment, her brain finally caught on to what Arizona was referring to and she said, "Oh, right. I woke up next to the most beautiful, stunning, outstanding young woman walking on earth. Her soft breath was tickling my neck, but I didn't move so I wouldn't wake her. You have to know, she's really bubbly and perky when she's awake, but when she's asleep, she looks so peaceful. Like, like nothing in the world could ever bother her."

Humming and turning around so she could hide her face in the crook of the brunette's neck, Arizona let her hand slide under Callie's shirt to feel more skin on skin contact, while the Latina's hand just moved with the blonde and rested softly on her right thigh now.

"But still, she woke up when the alarm went off. She must have had a good dream though, 'cause the minute she opened her amazing, shining blue eyes, she smiled at me. And her smile, let me tell you, it's super. Magical. It can light up even my crankiest days. I think you know who I'm talking about, don't you?" Getting no response but hearing the even breathing of her girlfriend, Callie knew she was back to sleep. She chuckled lightly and slipped her hand out from under the blanket to turn down the volume of the TV a few notches and moved her fingers under the blonde's top afterwards to gently stroke her lower back – and to prevent her from falling of the couch in her sleep.

Turning her eyes to the screen and the two running women, she smiled. Arizona could not stand any scary movies and even the thrilling ones were on a thin line for the blonde. But she loved this crime show, though she would never admit that there were moments she had to close her eyes and wait for the scene to be over. Arizona was just adorably cute. "You're still drinking some tea when you wake up", she whispered into the sleeping girl's ear and then eased deeper into the cushions to relax and just hold her girlfriend.

xxx

When Arizona woke up later, she was safely wrapped up in the arms of her girlfriend and a blanket was keeping them warm. She blinked a couple of times to make out her surroundings, her lashes fluttering against the Latina's neck as she did so. There were voices in the background, so she concluded that they must still be in the living room. Her mouth still tasted like camomile and she immediately felt the urge to rush to the bathroom and brush her teeth and tongue – to scrub off that disgusting taste no matter how.

"You're awake", Callie said with a smile. She'd been watching TV the whole time, getting completely engrossed into the show while holding Arizona, stroking her back or brushing through her blonde hair. "Slept well?"

"Mhmm", the blonde hummed. "How long?"

"A little over an hour. You feeling better now?" Carefully shifting so she could look into the mesmerizing orbs of her girlfriend, she nudged her nose when they were eye to eye.

Waiting a moment or two to see if the cramps would show up again, she nodded when they didn't. "Yeah", she smiled, "napping always works for me."

"I know it does. And I envy you for that, you know?"

"We can't all be a Robbins, Calliope. If you were a Robbins, you'd be the same. Remember the time when Timmy slept almost 24 hours in a row? He felt so sick before, but when he woke up, it was as if he'd never been sick."

"Yes, of course I remember. Gosh, that's so long ago. He was in first grade then, that seems like a lifetime ago."

"Mhmm", she nodded. "Loooooong time ago. Before we know it, he's turning sixteen, gets a girl pregnant and then married." Her laughter filled the room as the image of her parents' faces crossed her mind. Her father, beet red with anger and her mom stunned to the moon and back and most likely speechless for the first time in her life.

"You know your father would probably send him to a boarding military school, right?", the Latina laughed along. "And from then on, he would never be seen again."

Clearing her throat, Arizona looked deep into the soulful brown orbs before her. "As funny as it sounds, I hope it will never be reality. He's my baby brother and I would rather see him stay little for another ten years."

"You can't stop the time, baby."

"I know", she sighed. "But he was so cute when he was born. And he was still cute when he was little and just began to talk. He tried to say grandma but all that came out was a mumbled 'gwrams'. I want that back. Or at least the younger Timmy that was all excited about starting with soccer and disappointed when we were not there to watch him."

"You miss him, hmm?"

"Yes", Arizona agreed. "I didn't think it would be so hard not to have him around all the time. He was annoying at some points. And we fought. We yelled. I had to throw him out of my room because he was snooping around and reading my diary. Not that the diary of my younger self was that interesting, but... anyways. Yes, I do miss him."

"He could visit us."

"Yeah, right", she snorted.

"No, really, I mean it. He could visit us during breaks. Sure, we're flying over for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but he could come over for a few days during winter break. It would be nice to have him here." Truth was, she missed him too. He was like a brother for her too. She'd lost her older sister but immediately fell in love with the little boy the moment Daniel Robbins had put him into her arms. "I'm sure he'd love to get away for a few days too."

"You sure about that?"

A broad smile spread over the brunette's face, showing her perfectly white teeth. "Yeah."

"I love you", the blonde gushed and pressed her lips against the Latina's. Pulling her closer with a hand in her neck, she let her fingers play with the beautiful dark tresses and pushed her pelvis into her girlfriend's body. Instead of deepening the kiss though, Callie pulled away, earning a puzzled look from Arizona. "What's wrong?"

"You're not feeling good."

"I feel perfectly fine, Calliope. Sleeping in your arms made me all better."

"I'm sure wasn't the tea", she teased. "You barely drank from it."

"It couldn't make me better in the first place. It's yikes. The only thing that's worse than camomile tea is ginger... eeew." She pressed her lips tightly together. "I told you, cuddling would be enough. And now, now I want more than just cuddling", she added with wiggling eyebrows. "You up for it?" Slender pale fingers danced along the brunette's neck as she asked her question, her voice sultry and thick with want for her girlfriend.

Swallowing down the lump before it could form in her throat, Callie's eyes locked on Arizona's and the look in those pools of a darker shaded blue was enough for her to know that the blonde was indeed okay. Taking advantage of her position with her back against the couch, she shifted once again and then pushed herself up on her hands, Arizona instantly landing under her. "Oh, looks like I'm _up_ for it", she teased and leaned in only to pull back before pink lips could get a grasp of hers. "

"Hey, don't be a tease", Arizona protested and pouted her lips. She didn't wait for the Latina to move though, instead she flung her arms around her girlfriend's neck and pulled her down. Their lips crashed together in a hungry kiss and within a minute, tongues were dueling, dancing, circling each other. Passion was rushing through their veins. The fire ignited the moment their bodies were pressed against each other's.

"We-"

"Don't talk", the blonde demanded, not even bothering to open her eyes, instead she just cupped the brunette's cheeks to hold her in place.

"But we-", Callie tried again only to be silenced with yet another fierce kiss. She didn't know how Arizona managed it, but she was almost every time the one in control, whether she was on top or under the Latina.

"No talking. Kissing", she said again, her lips never really living Callie's long enough for the brunette to say a whole sentence. Even when she was talking, their lips were still touching. She thought her girlfriend was once again trying to stop her and she didn't want to stop.

And Callie sensed it because they were in the same boat here. She wasn't going to stop them either. All she was trying to suggest was to move this to the bedroom, but the couch would work just fine. Trying to get the upper hand, she pushed her hips down to meet the blonde's center and instantly, Arizona's body rose from its spot. She took the moment of a slightly startled Arizona to grab both of the blonde's hands and pin them down above her girlfriend's head. With the new gained freedom because Arizona couldn't hold her head in place, she moved her kisses over her jaw line and down the blonde's neck. Grazing the soft skin with her teeth, nipping at it, sucking it in between her lips, she then soothed the reddened flesh with her tongue and open mouth kisses.

Arizona's feet were kicking of the blanket, but neither of them cared. She was too succumbed in the ministrations on her neck and her body was too much on fire to notice the missing of the added warmth. "Calliope", she moaned. Her breath was ragged, her heart pounding rapidly in her chest and Callie didn't seem to stop. She tried to free her hands, but it was useless. Callie was stronger than she was, thanks to the years of smashing ball after ball.

Feeling the blonde's need and tries, she tightened her grip around the delicate wrists wanting Arizona to know who was on top tonight. Her girlfriend's scent did something to her body, though. She was barely able to stop the groans from spilling over plump lips when she kissed her way down to a hidden collarbone. "Off", she rasped, pulling Arizona into a sitting position and tugging at the fabric of the sweatshirt, knowing that the other girl would get the hint and lift her arms. And when Arizona did just that, it took Callie only a few seconds to rid her of the long sleeved shirt and bra.

She put her hands behind her back for support and arched her back to push her upper body forward to meet all of Callie's touches. When tan hands cupped both her breasts and fingers started to play with her pebbled nipples, she released another – louder – moan. Her head fell back and all she could do was wait and take everything Callie would give her, whether it was soft or urging.

The pale skin felt too good beneath her touch, she could hardly keep it together. The heavy breaths and sounds that left Arizona's mouth sent her libido into overdrive. She was sure there were days where she could make Arizona climax just by playing with her breasts. But then again, there were also days, she was almost over the edge just by watching Arizona squirming beneath her.

Another moan of her name filled the room and Callie knew she had to make the next moves. Crashing their lips again, not as hungry and forceful as before, she slowly pushed the blonde back down on the couch. Once that happened, she let her mouth wander down her girlfriend's upper body, caressing every inch she could find with her tongue or her lips. Her hands followed, lightly tracing the underside of her Arizona's breasts with her thumbs as she went further down.

Reaching out and grabbing one of the Latina's hands, Arizona gave it a strong squeeze, signaling that she wanted, needed more.

Callie sat back up on her heels and loosened the chord of her girlfriend's sweats before she pulled them down, the blonde helping in rising her hips. The pants joined the other pieces of clothing on the floor while Callie stared at the body before her. She wondered if she was ever going to get tired of this and she didn't even wonder for the first time. Arizona was breathtakingly stunning. Her body was pure perfection to the Latina and she felt her heart missing a beat when she tugged the blonde's panties down and off her legs before she got rid of her own clothes, leaving her bare except for her panties.

She knelt between her girlfriend's slightly parted legs and inhaled deeply, the scent of Arizona's arousal making her own lust skyrocketing. Placing her hands on each side of the blonde's hips, she let her thumbs rub the skin in soft circles before moving into the middle and then downwards, her goal clearly evident. She spread Arizona's legs and let her left hand move over her thigh while she settled between the legs, her upper body making contact with the blonde's. Both moaned as their nipples brushed against each other's and the mouths met again. Her tongue sweeping over a pink bottom lip, asking for a deeper kiss while her finger softly trailed through slick folds.

"Ugh", Arizona groaned when the finger was gone too soon. "Calliope."

"What do you want?"

"You."

Smiling, she asked again. "_What_ do you want?"

"Y-y-your tongue... mouth", she stammered. She was beyond turned on. With Callie's touches and kisses altering between soft and hungry, she was putty in the Latina's hands. The whispered 'okay' from the brunette barely reached her ears, but she felt the body atop of her moving and the anticipation inside her grew even more.

The first swipe of her tongue over the blonde's center was almost enough for Callie to jump over the edge. The second swipe made her think that she could easily die happy this way. But the third ignited the fire again and she lapped up enough of her girlfriend's juice, yet she still yearned for more, so she let the muscle slide through her folds before settling on the blonde's clit, circling it in a slow pace.

Arizona's hands reached out, trying to get a hold of anything to keep her ground. She found the pillow beneath and her nails immediately dug into the material. She wanted to buck her hips against her girlfriend's face, but Callie held them down. She wanted to scream because it felt so amazing, but all the words died in her throat. It wasn't until she felt full lips close around the bundle of nerves between her legs, that a very clear yelp left her mouth. "FUCK!"

Smiling against the blonde's center, Callie sucked at the wet nub, her tongue playing with it as well and her hands trying her best to keep Arizona's hips from jerking off the couch – and that alone was a task in itself. But she needed to hold her there so she could still her hunger for her girlfriend. She could feel the blonde's wetness running down her throat and it was the best taste in the world. Nothing could compare to it, nothing stood a chance. Yet, she needed more. She needed to feel her come around her fingers, so she slid her hand down and eased a digit inside.

"OH!" Her back arched off the couch, her head was already spinning in pleasure and Callie just made it better and better with every passing second.

With her mouth still busy on the blonde's clit, the brunette thrust her finger in and out, slowly at first, but she was soon sure that Arizona could take more. She added a second finger and heard a weak whimper from above, so she stopped for a second and looked up. Seeing that her girlfriend's face showed no signs of pain, she pushed deeper and deeper until she was inside her, knuckle deep and then she stopped to give Arizona time to adjust, her mouth still working its magic, though.

"CAL-", she pressed out. The doubled sensation of being filled and her clit being played with was almost too much. Yet, she wanted to feel all of it and thrust her body against Callie's to tell Latina that she was okay, that it was good, needed.

Starting with slow, shallow thrusts, the brunette kept her eyes locked on Arizona's face. She loved the sight of her girlfriend's tight shut eyes and parted lips that let out more and more moans of pure bliss. When she sucked a little harder and pushed deeper into the blonde, blue eyes snapped open and Arizona's back rose off the couch again.

Their eyes met and blue locked on brown when Callie's mouth wrapped around her clit more tightly and her fingers began to push faster. "F-F-F-Fuck." She needed four tries to say the word between her panting and moaning. She was close and wanted to warn her girlfriend, but her brain had turned into mush and she couldn't form a whole sentence, or even another word. With one hand behind her back again to support her upper body and one playing with her own breast, her hips bucked wildly against the Latina's face and with every buck she got closer to her breaking point. "LOVE!", she yelled when the brunette's teeth grazed the nub. There was no way she could hold back her orgasm now. "Fuck. Fuck! FUUUUUCK!" A few more deep thrusts and sucks from that God-given mouth and she released against her girlfriend's chin. Her torso falling back into the cushions as wave after wave of pleasure crashed through her whole body. She shook with tremors until she went limp. Her eyes too heavy to stay open, she could only feel the Latina's soft kisses on her thighs, abdomen and chest as she crawled up her body to lay down beside her.

"That was a strong one, huh?", Callie asked, her fingers playing with a still hard nipple.

Gulping and trying to say something, she settled for nodding when her mouth didn't seem to work.

"I love when you get like this", Callie smiled. "I love when _we_ get like this. All hot and sweaty." Brushing a few strands of blonde hair out of Arizona's face, she grinned at the satisfied smile on her girlfriend's lips. "I love you, period." She kissed the girl with everything she had, knowing that Arizona could taste herself on her lips and both moaned into the kiss.

Parting only when air became a necessity, Arizona replied, "I love you, too." Then she closed her eyes, snuggled deeper into the brunette's body and was – for the millionth time – thankful, that they had no class on Friday until 4pm and they finally christened their couch. In her books, college life was turtely awesome.

xxx

Startled by the knocking on the apartment door, Arizona let the pen in her hand fall onto the coffee table and got up from her spot on the floor. Callie might have had the intention that she'd actually use the spare room with the desks to study, but every time when Callie was not around, the blonde found her notes and books sprawled out on the coffee table and the TV running in the background. She hadn't been able to focus on biology anyway. "Geez, patience much?", she hollered when she heard the person knocking on the door again. Checking the time, she noticed that it was already past 9.30 and it made her wonder why her girlfriend wasn't home yet. She didn't even think that Callie could be on the other side of the door, simply because the brunette never forgot her keys.

"Open the door, Robbins", came from the other side.

Complying and opening the door, she was met by her friend. It wasn't really new that Addison showed up unannounced, but on a Thursday night and that late, was also something that didn't happen every week. "Hey Ads. What are you doing here this late?" It had happened slowly but over the months it had become clear that while they were a perfect group of really close friends, she always turned to Addie – and vice versa – when she needed someone other to talk to than her girlfriend. Luckily, Callie and Teddy were the same so no one was left out.

"Is Callie at home?" When she got a 'no' in response she continued, "I need somebody to talk to and since you are my best friend, you're the one I need", the redhead replied and walked past Arizona who closed the door quietly. Flopping down on the couch, she threw her arm dramatically over her eyes and groaned. "Please tell me you are not freaking out about your final thesis again."

Arizona just laughed. The finals at the end of the first semester were probably the worst she's ever been through. She couldn't sleep properly and if she did, she'd fallen asleep over books and notes. She had been cranky and snappy. And it hadn't really been any better with the next finals. This year though, she was surprisingly very relaxed – at least about the college situation – because something entirely different seemed to be eating her up from the inside. "I am not. I mean, I kinda know the deal by now, we're at the end of our third year, so I thought I take a break from stressing me and everybody else out this time and just double it up for the big deal next year."

Blinking out from under her arm, Addison shot the blonde a death glare. "I really hope for your sake that you are either kidding me or that you decide not to be my friend during finals next year." She didn't meant it though. Nothing about college or finals made her nervous, like, ever. And not even Arizona would change that.

She sat down beside her best friend and studied her face. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Want? Oh, want is the wrong term here. Need. That's the right one. I _need_ to talk", the redhead clarified.

"Okay then, what is it that you _need_ to talk about?"

"I kissed Teddy."

Her first reaction was shock, but then it dawned on her that Addison was potentially messing with her. "You think, you're funny, right Ads? Do you really think I'd fall for this a third time?", she asked with a quirking eyebrow. The first time, Teddy and Addie had made up this story after she and Callie had gotten back from Seattle after Christmas in their freshman year. Needless to say, both had been shocked. But eventually, Teddy had caved and admitted that they had just been curious about their reaction. The second time, Teddy had shown up at their door in tears, saying that Addison had stopped talking to her after they were forced to kiss during a game of truth or dare. And Arizona had felt guilty because it was her dare – her revenge for them messing with their kissing story. Five minutes later though, Addison had also showed up, laughing and the blonde had been mad at both of them for a whole week. Both incidents had happened over two years ago, though.

"Believe me, I wish I was messing with you again", Addison answered, let her arm fall to the side and looked at her friend. She gave her a weak smile and then stared at the ceiling.

"Oh my God! You're telling the truth!", Arizona squealed. "How was it?"

"Uhm...friendship-ruining?", the redhead guessed. "How are we supposed to stay friends? Friends don't kiss out of the blue. I'm not even into girls. Teddy is not into girls, and believe, me, I know. I saw her with Henry and I saw more than I actually wanted to see", she huffed and shook her head in disgust at the memory of walking in on Teddy and Henry in their shower.

"Don't act like that, Addie. It's not like Teddy did not see you bumping uglies with Mark Sloan. I think you two are more than just quits. And besides that, I kissed my best friend seven years ago...", she trailed off. She still remembered their first kiss as if it had happened just yesterday. The counting to three only to be interrupted by her brother and trying again a few weeks later. And now their anniversary was three days away and with Callie being distant for weeks now, she was unsure if there still was an anniversary to be celebrated. At first she thought it was because of the finals. The Latina didn't freak out like she did. She kept it all inside and more often than not was too caught up in her own thoughts. But the finals were done now and the only thing left to do was their last thesis paper, but they had four weeks for that.

"Yeah, well... not everybody can have a love like that. Teddy and I are different. We're... hell, I don't know what we are but whatever it was, I ruined it."

"Why don't you tell me what exactly happened?", the blonde offered. Distraction was good, because it would prevent her from glancing at the clock every thirty seconds.

"We were watching a movie and Teddy fell asleep on my shoulder."

"Okay, not the first time that happened", she laughed. The other blonde could barely make it through a whole movie, always falling asleep in the middle of it instead.

"Yeah", Addie smiled too.

"Please tell me you did not try to kiss her while she was asleep. That's not nice, Red."

"Thanks for having so much faith in me, Arizona. And no, I did not kiss her while she was asleep. There was... you know Teddy, she falls asleep and wakes up when the ending credits start to show. It's like she has a body clock for that or something. And then she gets that pout on her lips because she missed the movie. And somehow... today... there was this moment. A moment. She looked at me and she was so close. All I needed to do was move an inch or two and we would kiss and so I did just that."

"Okay...?"

"No. Not okay!", Addie exclaimed. "I kissed Teddy!"

"Did she kiss you back?", Arizona asked cautiously. "Or did she push you away?"

"No. She... she kissed me back. We... kissed. But then she froze and before she could say anything, I was up and left and came here." She waited for a moment before she said anew, "She froze."

"Amazing kisses can have the effect", the blonde smiled. "Not that I would know anything about your kisses, but maybe she wasn't shocked about the kisser but about how good the kiss was? Maybe you are overreacting and making it worse by being here and not at your dorm room talking about it."

"What's there to talk about?", the redhead huffed.

"A lot", she said and patted her friend's knee to comfort her. "Did you like the kiss? Do you like Teddy? Do you like her more than just like her?"

"She's my roommate", was the first answer. "She's beautiful, a blind person would see it. She's funny and smart. And she does not snore." The last sentence came out with a hearty laugh. "The kiss was gentle and slow, her lips so soft against mine." She looked once again over to the blonde and saw a not so subtle smirk spreading out on pink lips. "What?"

"You sound like you're doing an analysis. Stop looking at it from the outside and start thinking about what you felt or feel", she ordered, understanding that Addison was most likely freaking out about what happened. But she also knew that freaking out would get them nowhere. "Look, when Callie and I kissed for the first time, we counted to three and we were just curious. When we kissed again, I kinda jumped at her because she gave me the – at the time – the best Christmas present. And then it happened again and again and I was confused but I also liked it a lot. I got all tingly and bouncy and even more happy. Kissing Callie has always been amazing, at every stage of our relationship. So, what did you feel when you kissed Teddy?"

"That her lips are really soft?", the redhead tried again. "I don't know! It was good. It wasn't like kissing Mark or any other guy. I can't say that it was better. It was just different."

"Okay, that's a start. Now about your feelings for Teds." When her friend didn't answer she looked at her with piercing blue eyes. "Are there any feelings for her?"

"No. Yes. I don't know, Arizona. It's just a big mess in my head right now. Teddy _is_ gorgeous. Teddy _is_ great. Teddy gets me and I get her. But, what if I am misreading it. Or worse, what if I am not but she does not feel the same and then everything's going to be awkward for all four of us?", she asked. It could ruin everything. "I've never been into a girl. All the crushes I had were on guys. No girls, not even a celebrity girl crush..."

"Well, maybe you're not into girls. Maybe you're just into Teddy, because as you said, you get each other, you clicked right from the start."

"Oh, and now, after almost three years my stupid brain is playing with me? I don't think so", Addison brushed it off. "Shouldn't that have happened sooner?"

"Not necessarily", she answered.

"Hey, why isn't Callie home yet?", Addison asked and changed the topic, obviously not wanting to talk about it any longer. That was just typical for the redhead but Arizona was used to it and knew that she would come to her again if she was ready to talk.

"I don't know. We got home and she practically grabbed her bag and was outta here again, telling me she didn't know when she'd be home."

"Is she doing extra hours on the court?", Addie wondered. "Practice is over since 8.45 and it's almost ten."

"I..."

"What's wrong? You two fighting?"

"No. She's just..." How was she supposed to say this? Talking about it would only make it real and she didn't want her fear to be real. "She's different."

"Different?"

"She was barely at home over the past weeks, always saying that she's meeting up with her study group for Spanish to help them or that she's on the court to get rid of the stress or that she will lock herself up in the library, but..."

"But? Arizona talk to me. I see that something is bothering you."

"Addison, I think there is something... wrong", she confessed and lowered her head.

"Wrong is not very explicit, Arizona."

"She's... the upper drawer of her nightstand is locked. She always has some aspirins in there and when I couldn't find some in the bathroom and my head was killing me, I wanted to check the drawer and it was locked. Why would she lock it?"

"I don't know", Addie replied. "Maybe she's hiding a birthday present in there? It's what, seven weeks away?"

"It could also be a phone number What if she's seeing someone?"

"Arizona, you don't really think that, do you?" Rubbing her hand along the blonde's arm, Addison tried to come up with something else. "Callie loves you. Maybe she really was stressed and you two just cope differently with it. Or does she feel uncomfortable with herself again?"

Arizona thought about it for a moment. Had she just missed the signs? "No, I don't think so. She's not physically distant. I tried to ask her what's wrong, but instead of getting answers she jumped me and... yeah", she trailed off with a blush. She hadn't gotten much sleep that night. And also the night after and the night after that, because Callie was using sex to distract her.

"So you're basically still screwing like rabbits", Addison winked and the blonde's cheeks turned even redder.

"The night she told me she was in the library, her library ID was on the kitchen counter", the other girl said. "Why would she lie to me about anything else than another woman... or man. And why now? It's only three days to go and we'd have our seventh anniversary. Who else our age can say that?" The answer was: no one. Or at least, no one they knew.

"Arizona, calm down", Addison tried to pull her in for a hug when she noticed the tears, but Arizona pushed herself away from the redhead.

"She's my everything, Addie. I can't even breathe without her. She can't love anyone else."

"We don't know that, Arizona. Maybe she's just... okay, I really don't have an explanation for that, but I know Callie. She's your Calliope, your brainy who loves you just as fiercely as you love her. Remember what you told me when we were still in school and she was acting strange? She is the most honest and loyal person walking on earth. You two are made for each other. Have some faith in your relationship. You survived your teenage years and moving in together. She-"

Hearing the jingling of the keys in the hallway, Arizona looked at her friend and silently pleaded her to stop talking while she wiped the tears away and turned her back to the door so Callie would not see the streaks on her cheeks the minute she walked in. "No word, please."

"Hey honey, I'm home. Sorry it took longer. Sarah and I were talking to the coach about the team and I completely lost track of time." It was only then that she looked up and saw Addison sitting on their couch. "Oh, hey Addie. I didn't know you were coming over."

"Oh, I just dropped by to say hi", she smiled. "I'm almost heading out anyways. See ya tomorrow for lunch before Dr. Elmer announces the topics for our final thesis?" Standing up, she squeezed the blonde's hand slightly, hoping that she would at least comfort her friend a little bit.

"Yeah, sure. Say, around two? We don't really have to be there before 3.30."

"Yep, sounds great." And with that, she was out of the door, hoping that she was right and Arizona was beyond wrong.

Inside, Callie put her sports bag down by the couch and walked around to peck her girlfriend's cheek. Noticing the puffy red and still watery eyes, she asked, "You okay?"

"Yeah", the blonde rasped. "Just a mild break down over finals. You know me", she lied and mustered Callie. She didn't look like she had been practicing at all. She looked freshly showered. "You showered at the gym?"

"Yeah. After talking to Coach Kaspen, I thought I'd quickly jump into the shower. And then I went over to the Italian restaurant you love so much and made reservations for Sunday", she grinned. "Didn't want to go there all sweaty and smelly."

"You usually don't shower at the gym, Calliope", Arizona said. Her girlfriend hated showering anywhere else than at home and almost always came home and showered here, sometimes even dragged her along.

"Well, I did today. I won't die from it", she laughed. "Could Addie help you with your breakdown?"

"Yeah... you know what? I'll clean this up and then I think I'll go to bed. I'm having a headache and I think we don't have any aspirins left." Again, she lied and it didn't feel good. She felt horrible, actually. But the insecurity felt even worse. Maybe Callie would unlock the drawer for her. But what if she didn't like what was in there?

"Oh, I bought new ones yesterday. They are in the bathroom", the Latina replied and walked over to the fridge to get herself some cool water.

Watching her girlfriend, Arizona opted to ask her again what was wrong, but it wouldn't change anything. Callie wouldn't tell her. "Thanks", she said while piling up her notes. "Will you come with me?"

Turning around, she saw the distress in the blonde's eyes. It was not about the breakdown, if there had been one. It was not about college. It was about her and their relationship and she knew it. Three more days to go, she thought to herself. "Sure", she said with a smile. "Arizona?", she called out for her girlfriend when the blonde was about to slip into the spare room. "I love you, you know that, right?"

"Yeah... 'course I do, Calliope. I love you too." Closing the door behind her, she let herself fall against it. Callie's behavior was so confusing. She was distant, yet she told her she loves her. She was keeping a secret, maybe even an affair? Yet she came home every night. "I just want the truth", she whispered to herself and put her notes down on the desk with the butterfly-covered frame on it, behind the glass the slowly fading out picture the brunette had made when she was six.


	37. We are the lucky ones Part 2

AN: And here's the third update. While I'll be babysitting my precious nephews tonight and I will hopefully get some writing for TIAM2 done. I feel motivated, but I am lacking ideas at the moment...

* * *

Arizona was walking up and down in their living room, impatiently waiting for her girlfriend to come home from a study group meeting that came out of nowhere. Although the Latina had been acting more like herself again the past two days, there were still some things that just didn't fit into the puzzle and she was scared that Callie had only made them up to get away. And now she was supposed to get ready for their reservations at the restaurant, to hell with that. If Callie was breaking up with her on their anniversary, she wanted to at least be in her most comfortable pair of sweats. When she thought about this day last year, it was perfection. They had decided to spend the weekend at the beach house in Miami with the adjoined private beach. They hadn't left the private area aside from leaving by the end of Sunday. But other than that, they had spent the time solely worshiping each other – with little breaks to eat and to restore their energy. And while she was fuming with anger now and at the same time beyond scared, she wished herself back to that weekend. Everything was perfect. They had been perfect. They were always perfect but she couldn't get rid of the nagging feelings she had.

She walked into the bathroom and looked into the mirror. She looked like hell. Her hair was tied back into a messy bun, a few strands falling loose in her face. Her eyes looked tired and as much as she tried, she couldn't get herself to smile. What if Callie was really breaking up with her?

Emerging the bathroom when she heard the front door, she was immediately met with the brunette. "Hi" she said shortly and started to chew on her bottom lip.

"Hey", Callie replied, the smile and happiness evident in her voice. She couldn't wait. Today was the day. And if she would not mess it up – and she made sure that she wouldn't mess this up – it would be one of the best days in her life. Taking in her girlfriend's appearance though made her smile falter. Sweats and a tank was not what she thought she would come home to today. "Why are you not getting ready?"

"Why should I?"

"'Why should I'?", the Latina parroted. "Because we have reservations in less than an hour, Arizona. I told you before I left that I will probably barely have the time to take a quick shower and that you should start without me." She wasn't mad. She was confused. Arizona had said that she was looking forward to dinner. Or did she just dream it?

"Well, I am not going", the blonde answered and crossed her arms over her chest.

"What do you mean, you are not going? Today's-" but she was cut of by her girlfriend.

"What are you hiding from me? Tell me now", Arizona demanded, her blue eyes staring at the brunette.

"I'm not-", she wanted to protest but was cut off by her girlfriend.

"Don't you dare lie to me, Calliope. We've been friends since we were little and we're together for seven years now, I know you. I know you even better than I know myself sometimes. And as your girlfriend, I have every right to know the truth. Is there someone else?" Because if there was, she sure as hell wasn't going out for dinner with Callie tonight. No, she'd be on the first plane home-bound.

Brown eyes went wide in shock. "What?!"

"Yesterday, you told me you were going out with Teddy, but guess what? Teddy called last night, asking _me_ if ___I_would know where you were, because she needed you and you were simply not answering your freaking phone. And last week, you told me you were at the library but your library ID was on the kitchen counter, so excuse me for not believing you anymore!" She willed the tears back, but it was useless. If Callie was cheating on her after all this time, she wouldn't know how to survive that. She was actually sure, she couldn't survive that. How was she supposed to bounce back from this? She prepared herself for the worst, for her world to fall apart as soon as Callie would open her mouth.

"Arizona", the brunette started, fighting an inner battle to ruin her surprise or to let her girlfriend off the hook.

"Just tell me the truth, Calliope. You owe me at least that much", she whispered as she wiped her tears away.

The Latina couldn't stand to see her like this. Yes, she had lied to her – sometimes, even sneaked out earlier a couple of times to rehearse. She wanted the moment to be perfect. Yeah, so much for that. "Okay", she breathed out. It was now or probably never. "Arizona, when we started to kiss each other, I had no clue that it – that you – would become the air I need to breathe. And I was so nervous that you weren't feeling the same. But then you asked me if you were my girlfriend and you made me so damn happy that day. You make me happy ever since."

"Can't you just get to the point? I'm sure it won't hurt that much when you do it like, I don't know, ripping off a band aid or something." If she had been listening, she would have heard the love in the Latina's words. Apparently though, she didn't listen.

The glare Arizona was giving her was filled with anger and sadness. God, what had she done? "You- you make me so damn happy, Arizona. I felt like flying or floating, I don't know what it was, what it still is. You were there for me whenever I needed you, no matter what. Because that's what you said to me. No matter what."

"Callie, damn it. If you don't tell me already, I swear, I'm-" Stunned by the Latina's next move, one hand shot up to cover her gasping mouth. Her breathing stopped. Her heart missed a beat or two.

Down on one knee, with her hands shaking and her mind reeling, Callie searched for the words she had practiced every free moment. "You are the beat of my heart, Arizona. You are the pulse in my veins and the energy of my soul. I love you for all that you are, all that you have been and for all that you've yet to be." Stopping to get her choking voice back to normal, she took a deep breath before she continued. "And I know that we are still young, but for me, there has never been – and there will never be – somebody else. My world revolves around you. I want you to be my past, my present and my future. Will you make me the happiest woman on earth and marry me, Arizona Robbins?", she finally asked, opening her palm to reveal the ring she'd originally planned to present her girlfriend in the little blue jewelery box.

Frozen in shock, the blonde didn't move. She didn't even flinch. She just stood there, staring down at her girlfriend's hand that held the ring. She didn't even recognize that a part of it was shaped like a butterfly.

"Can... can you, uhm, say something?", the Latina asked nervously. She'd rather hear Arizona's beautiful voice say the word 'yes', but she would even go with a 'no' if that meant that the blonde would actually talk. "Arizona?"

"You- you want to marry me?" She was still shocked. She had feared for her world to be ripped apart when it apparently was the opposite.

"Yes", the brunette smiled. "Yes, I want to marry you. I want to be there for everything that will happen in your life. And I have been practicing this speech, so it would be the perfect moment. Tonight. I wanted to ask you tonight, after dinner."

"And you've been planning this the whole time?" She wanted to be angry. But she couldn't stop herself from being happy. Because all the signs Callie had given her had been so frustratingly confusing.

"You know I am not good with speeches... I didn't want a memory of a stammered proposal", Callie answered, trying to explain herself. "I know you probably drove yourself crazy with the worst case scenarios, but I am still waiting for an answer, honey."

"I thought you were breaking up with me!" Collapsing onto her knees, Arizona fell into her girlfriend's arms and kissed her fiercely. There was so much going on inside her right now. Relief, happiness, joy, excitement, love and it all overshadowed the worries and the fear. She thought she was going to explode with all these emotions.

"Is that a yes?", the brunette asked once she was able to pull back.

"That's turtely a yes, a million times yes, Calliope." She crashed herself into the Latina's body again and they toppled over, with Callie's back hitting the floor and the blonde ungracefully landing atop of her. Their lips collided in a passionate kiss, tongues met and caressed each other, dancing the well practiced choreography. Forgotten were all the thoughts about Callie having an affair. The fear of Callie loving somebody else. The nagging worries about Callie leaving her. They all had turned to dust the second her girlfriend had dropped onto her knee, leaving her stunned.

"Thank God", the brunette exhaled in relief. "And I am sorry for keeping it a secret. I just- every time you asked me, I wanted to tell you. But I couldn't. It would have ruined all the work I put into it. So-"

"So you thought, you'd distract me with as much sex as I could handle until I passed out?"

"Uhm... kind of, yeah", Callie answered with a blush creeping up into her cheeks. "I didn't hear you complaining, though."

Blushing as well, Arizona sent her girlfriend a one-sided dimpled smile. "That's 'cause sex with you is amazing." Capturing the brunette's lips in yet another heated kiss to emphasize her statement, both were soon moaning into the other's mouth and grinding against each other. Pale fingers lazed themselves with tan fingers and when she pressed Callie's left hand against the floor, she felt the ring between their palms. It didn't bother her though. Right now she wanted to kiss the most amazing woman and show her how much she loved her.

They only pulled away when breathing became an issue, but instantly, shining pools of blue were locked on her brown. "Do you want you ring?", Callie asked coyly.

Getting up onto her knees, eagerly nodding as she did so, she looked at her hands. "Which one do you need?"

"This one", the Latina replied with a smile and took her girlfriend's – oh no, scratch that – her fiancée's delicate left hand in her own when she was up on her knees as well, mirroring the blonde's pose. Her hands were shaking again and Arizona's breathtaking smile did nothing to soothe her nerves. "I love you, Arizona Robbins", she whispered and slipped the ring onto the blonde's finger.

"It... it fits", the blonde grinned and looked down at the ring. "Is that... is that a butterfly?"

"Mhmm", she hummed with her bottom lip trapped between her teeth. "'Cause you are my beautiful butterfly."

"Where did you find it?", she wanted to know. Maybe it was the reason for Callie being absent so often. Well, it definitely explained the locked drawer of her nightstand.

"I uhm... I looked everywhere for the perfect ring. And I had to do it alone, because nobody knew. I couldn't tell Teddy, 'cause she would have told Addison and Addie can't keep a secret from you and clearly, you were not supposed to know. Do you know how hard it was to keep all of this to myself? I was _so_ close to ask after we... that night. And believe me, I wanted to tell you. So much. But I needed the ring first... so yeah, I went to every single jeweler but nothing seemed to be good enough and then-"

"Love, breathe", Arizona reminded her and placed her right hand on Callie's cheek. It was just too adorable that Callie always started to ramble when she got nervous around her. .

"I designed it myself", she finally confessed. When she had accidentally found this little store a good thirty minutes drive away, she'd known instantly that there probably wasn't a better ring than the one she had in mind all the time. So she'd sat down and put the image in her head on paper, gave the draft the jeweler and he had made an exact copy of her draft.

"You designed it yourself?", Arizona asked. She knew her fiancée's talent, she just never thought that she'd design her a ring. But it suited the Latina. She always tried to make her surprises or presents the most personal – aside from DVDs, that is. Lifting her hand, she studied the ring up close. The butterfly was miraculous. It was- "Calliope, are those..?"

"Diamonds? Yeah..."

"HOLY! Calliope, that's-" She didn't even know what to say.

Callie never really showed off her money. Just because she could afford it, didn't mean she was buying everything she wanted to have. Some nice little extras, yeah, who wouldn't? But she had been very reasonable with her money from the start. "I thought I could put my money to very good use and make my awesome girl very happy", she shrugged. She wanted everybody to know that Arizona was hers.

"Oh my God, we're-"

"Engaged, yeah", she grinned. She looked over to the wall and her eyes widened. "Shit! Our reservations! Arizona, we need to get ready!"

"No", the blonde stated simply and shook her head.

"No? But I though we're good now. And that means that we can go out for dinner and that you can come with me because you're not scared or angry anymore, right? Or are you still mad at me? Arizona, I am sorry, I just wanted it to be-"

"Perfect", she cut her off, "I know. And I am not mad anymore. I just don't want to eat where others are eating... and I don't need to go to a restaurant to get what I want to eat."

"You- huh? You're confusing me."

Lust flashed in the blonde's eyes as she pulled Callie closer to her. "I'm going to eat you, in our bedroom", she breathed into the brunette's ear and immediately attached her lips to the tan neck, eliciting a groan from the Latina.

Her head fell to one side, giving her fiancée more access to her skin. She felt herself being pushed backwards and in the direction of their bedroom. If Arizona wanted to stay in and do that, she wasn't going to say no.

xxx

When Arizona woke up the next morning, rays of sunlight were already dancing brightly across their bedroom floor. She needed a moment to come to terms with her surroundings, simply due to the fact that she was not lying on her side of the bed, but on Callie's, with the Latina's very naked front pressed against her also very naked back. Wondering for a moment why they had fallen asleep this way, her eyes caught a glimpse of the light that refracted in the shapes of the diamonds of her engagement ring. She couldn't help the smile that appeared on her face. She was engaged. Engaged to the love of her life and, good Lord, did they celebrate last night. They had been love-making oh so passionately and slow. But there had also been teasing, worshiping and licking the other beyond everything they could handle. And in the end, Callie had fallen onto the mattress after her fifth or sixth intense orgasm of the night and simply passed out. With a sheepish grin, Arizona remembered how she had just made herself comfortable on Callie's side of the bed and pulled the brunette closer to her to cover them up with a thin blanket.

Tightening her hold on the brunette's arm that was draped over her side and stomach, Arizona pushed herself further into her fiancée's embrace. Fiancée. That sounded so… so… there was no word to explain how she felt. Possibly not even a sentence. She could write an essay about it and it still wouldn't be enough. There would never be enough words in the English language – or any other for that matter – that would fully describe how happy Callie made her every day.

Carefully turning around in the Latina's arm so she would not wake her, blue eyes immediately fell on full, red lips. Callie's lips were so soft. So delicious. So kissable. Leaning in, she lightly brushed her own set of lips against the slightly parted ones of her fiancée, but Callie didn't even stir. She was still dead to the world which didn't surprise the blonde at all since she could feel the tiredness and soreness in every muscle, in every fiber of her being. But she felt sore in all the right places. It was in fact the best kind of soreness.

Watching the even rising of the brunette's torso with every breath she took and with tracing the curve of her naked body with her fingertips, Arizona thought about the one thing that had been on her mind a few times already since she discovered for herself that Callie was the one for her. Getting married - even if it wasn't in the near future – meant tying and mingling two lives together as one. It meant one home. Building one future together, maybe even a family. And to her, it also meant sharing one last name, but since they were both female, which name should they choose? She always felt Robbins was just perfect for her. It suited her. She was the perfect mixture of her parents, and she was really proud to be a Robbins – to be her father's daughter and her grandfather's granddaughter. Would that change if her last name was different? Arizona Torres. Calliope Robbins. "Arizona Torres", she said to herself in a whisper. It did have a nice ring to it, but so did Calliope Robbins. Then again, Callie was the only member left of her family. Could she really take her name away from her? What if Callie wanted them to keep their respective names? "Calliope Robbins", she tried.

"Both sound awesome", the Latina mumbled in a raspy and sleepy voice with her eyes still closed, startling her fiancée with her sudden words.

"You're awake already?", Arizona asked before she tucked dark brown hair behind Callie's ear. "I thought you'd sleep at least till noon."

"Mhmm, what time is it?" she asked, but captured the blonde's lips in a loving kiss before Arizona could answer her question. Pulling her as close as possible with her left hand firmly pressed against her lover's lower back, she inevitably pushed their hips together. A groan left her throat when the blonde tore her lips away. "You feel good."

"You too", she replied and relished in the feeling of their bodies pressed together while she propped herself up on one elbow to look past the head with dark hair, trying to find her alarm clock on the nightstand. "It's close to nine."

"Ugh. Sleeeeep", Callie whined. The last time she unintentionally checked the time last night it was already past three. And that was before Arizona had started yet another round. She wasn't complaining about their celebrating. Not in the slightest. But she needed more sleep. When a relatively loud growl filled the otherwise silent room, her cheeks turned beet red. Apparently, she needed something else.

The blonde's hearty love bounced off the walls of their bedroom. "Hungry?" She pushed Callie onto her back and leaned halfway down onto the brunette's upper body, her face mere inches away from a tan neck as she inhaled deeply. They smelled like sex. The whole room smelled like sex.

"Like you wouldn't believe. After all, we skipped dinner last night."

"Well, I beg to differ, 'cause I had you for dinner", Arizona disagreed in a low and sultry voice, her breath tickling the Latina's neck with every word. Smirking up at her fiancée, she subconsciously licked her lips. Callie was glowing in the sunlight that streamed through the gaps between the blinds, her hair disheveled and spread out all over the pillow. She was just about to start anew and blow the brunette's mind once again as another grumbling filled the room. This time though, it was her stomach.

"Apparently, I was not enough", Callie grinned. "Pancakes?"

"Can't we just stay in bed? I am sure breakfast can wait for another... let's say... thirty minutes?" Her fingers were already ghosting over the soft tan skin of Callie's shoulder and along her collarbone and she had every intention to continue what she started. "Please?"

Her breath caught in her throat as the blonde's lips sucked on her pulse point. "You- ugh- you can't possib- possibly want to- JESUS!", she exclaimed when delicate fingers pinched a pebbled nipple, "go again."

"I can't help it", Arizona breathed out. "You're too hot", she stated and crashed their lips in a searing kiss, but pulled away all too soon for Callie to get any control back. "I can't keep my fingers off of you. I will never get enough of you." Pushing down the blanket, she kissed her way down the soft skin, leaving wet trails with her tongue on every inch of exposed flesh she could reach. Her mouth found the valley between two full breasts and she kissed a path to a taut nipple, sucking it in and eliciting a sharp intake of breath from above. Cupping the other breast with her hand, she started to knead it softly in her palm, feeling Callie's body begin to squirm beneath her. "Plus", she said before she circled the mocha-colored bud with her tongue, "I don't think I thanked you enough for asking me to marry you." Her teeth grazed the silk skin of the brunette's stomach and open mouth kisses were planted wherever Arizona lowered her face.

Panting heavily already, Callie pushed her head back into the pillow and her eyes snapped shut as her fingers clenched in the bed sheets below her. She was beyond worked up again and very sure it wouldn't take long for Arizona to push her over the edge into a very welcomed bliss. Pushing her hips against the blonde's hand that was between her legs, she begged, "Please..."

"Please what?" Slipping her fingertips inside her lover's wet and hot core, a gasp toppled over pink lips. "Oh my-" That feeling was never going to get old. Callie felt so good around her fingers. Softly withdrawing before she pushed deeper inside the brunette, Arizona glanced up and saw a set of perfectly white teeth biting hard into a full bottom lip. She crawled back up the Latina's body, captured her lips in a hot and sensual kiss and rolled her hips against the body underneath her, successfully making her fingers go in all the way.

The moan that left her mouth at the sudden feeling of being filled was carnal and yet muffled by the Arizona's lips. Her heart felt like it was about to burst out of her chest and every time she tried to breathe, the air didn't seem to reach her lungs.

Needing at least a little bit of control back, Callie's left hand let go of the sheets and traveled down the pale skin of the blonde's back and over her hip bones to find a toned stomach. Muscles twitched beneath the fingertips and when she moved her hand lower, she was immediately met by scorching heat. She cupped Arizona's mound and played with her engorged clit that seemed to plead for attention.

Pulling away when she felt the brunette's fingers flicking her bundle of nerves, blue eyes fluttered close and her head fell down to rest on Callie's shoulder. "In-"

"Hmm?", Callie partly asked, partly moaned. She was completely captivated by her fiancée's fingers, her brain not working fast enough to get what the blonde needed.

"In- fuck- need- inside! Callie, need you inside", she rushed out and her fingers picked up the pace between the Latina's legs because she knew, she was so close already and she wanted, needed Callie to come with her.

Complying, Callie's fingers danced deeper between Arizona's folds and she teased her entrance for just a few seconds before she thrust inside.

"OH FUCK!", she screamed in shock, her teeth biting down on a tan shoulder as she moaned against the sweaty skin. "Calliope, I'm-"

"Me too", the Latina panted. See could already feel the tingling sensation building in her lower abdomen. Her toes curled against the mattress and with every buck of her hip, the blonde's fingers seemed to reach deeper. "Close", she warned.

"Come with me", Arizona urged, her thumb pressing against the brunette's clit with every thrust of her hand. She pushed her own body down again and again, feeling Callie's fingers curl against the sweet spot inside her, her climax rushing towards her at lightning speed. And knowing that the Latina was just as close did nothing to stop it.

When the first waves of her own orgasm crashed through her body, Callie flicked the blonde's clit with her thumb, the speed of her thrusts increased and within mere seconds, both were screaming out the release. Her inner walls clenched around the digits still inside her while her heartbeat started to slow down.

With her face still hidden in the crook of the brunette's neck, Arizona slowly came down from her high. But with just the slightest movements of Callie's fingers inside her core, she began to tremble again. She knew her face was flushed and that her breathing was everything but normal, yet she tried to move and slipped out of her fiancée and flopped down beside her. "Nothing beats morning sex."

"Ugh", Callie groaned, suddenly feeling empty and instantly, she was bursting with love. Turning her head to look at the girl to her right, she noticed the rising chest. "Nothing beats morning celebratory engagement sex with you", she agreed and licked her fingers clean.

Without thinking about it, Arizona's eyes fell onto her ring. "There is no way our friends are not going to notice", she smiled and then laughed, "And if they don't, I just shove it into their faces."

"You may want to call your parents first and tell them", Callie suggested. "But please, after breakfast. You wore me out again and I think if I don't get any nutrition into my system, I'm going to starve."

Blue eyes widened and she immediately grinned at the brunette. "Calliope Torres, are you telling me that you did _not_ inform my dad – the Colonel – before you asked me to become your wife?"

"Uhm..."

"I can't believe you! You! You always ask. You asked him if he was okay with us moving in together. You always make sure he's okay with everything and you did not ask him?"

"There was no need to", she shrugged. "He practically gave me his approval and his blessing when we moved here. Told me, that if I ever decided to become his daughter, he'd call himself lucky." It had made her tear up a little, knowing that he supported their relationship completely. After all, he was still a marine.

"Oh... and you waited that long to ask me?", Arizona asked, playfully swatting the brunette's upper arm. She got it, though. Callie had just turned eighteen when they'd moved over to start college and she had been seventeen. Living together had been challenging enough in the beginning, there was no need to add pressure by being engaged at such a young age. And Callie had also been right last night, they were still young. But they matured and their relationship had only gotten stronger with every passing day.

"What are you thinking about so hard? I can practically hear the wheels turning in your head.

"Nothing serious", Arizona smiled. "I'm just happy and I can't wait to tell my mom and dad. Did your parents know?"

"Nope", she shook her head. "Nobody knew." She was sure though that Liam and Susan were going to be as thrilled as Barbara and Daniel. Addison would pull them into one of her bone-crushing hugs and start planning the bachelorette parties the second she heard the news. That is, if she could get her head out of her butt and finally admit that she liked Teddy. "We should call our parents soon, though." Groaning as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and her feet came in contact with the cold hardwood floor, she pushed herself up from the mattress.

"Where are you going?", Arizona pouted when she felt the bed shift.

"Making breakfast. Finally", Callie laughed and walked over the closet to get a fresh pair of boxers and a shirt. "Pancakes okay?"

"Do you really have to ask?"

Chuckling, the Latina went back to the bed to peck the blonde's lips fast enough to not get pulled back under the covers. "Chocolate chips?", she asked when she was already at the door.

"Oh, yes please" she answered, clapping her hands in delight. "Best fiancée ever."

"And don't you forget it."

xxx

"Are you trying to restore you glucose balance with this breakfast?", Callie asked. They were sitting at their breakfast bar and she was currently sipping on a cup filled with milk while Arizona was munching away on her breakfast. Neither of them had thought about taking a shower until now. After all, it was the first day of semester break and both enjoyed to just laze around. No place to be, no people to see.

Swinging the fork in her hand, the blonde's eyes flickered between the plate in front of her and the Latina. "Why?"

"Because you're drenching your chocolate chips pancakes in chocolate syrup _and_ you're drinking a cocoa. Don't you think that is a little... extreme?" It really shouldn't surprise her. Arizona was just that much of a sweet tooth, but still, she somehow feared the blonde would sugar-coat herself one day.

"Mhmm... no", she answered after she thought about it for all of five seconds. "I had quite the workout last night and this morning, I need this." Happily stuffing her mouth with another bite, she grinned at the brunette. "Do you-" Her question was interrupted by the knock on the apartment door. "We're not expecting anyone, are we?" If they were, she would not be sitting in their kitchen only dressed in a shirt and panties that barely covered her butt.

"I'm not. Did Addie say something?", the Latina asked and slipped off the stool.

Shaking her head vehemently, she tugged at the fabric of her shirt, trying to stretch it over her knees while Callie opened the door.

"Good morning... I'm not interrupting, am I?", Teddy asked and it was clear to see that she had not put any thought into getting ready. Her hair was a wet mess tied back into a loose bun, one leg of her yoga pants was trapped in her sock and she wore two different shoes.

"No. Come in", Callie said and made way for the obviously confused woman to walk past her. "You look..."

"Yeah, I know that already. I just... I ran, okay?" She sat down on one of the stools, her eyes transfixed on her own fidgeting fingers.

Putting a plate down in front of her friend, a silent invitation for Teddy to just help herself if she wanted to eat something, Callie poured another cup with cocoa, knowing it comforted the blonde just as much as her lover.

"Do you want me to leave?", Arizona offered.

"No. God, no. I just... I had to get away from it and since- oh God, you had your anniversary last night and you probably don't want to hear about my shit." She glanced over to Arizona who was sitting across from her. She looked happy. Tired and like she'd just gotten out of bed, but happy. It seemed like their problems were gone with the wind. Of course, Addison had told her about the other blonde's suspicions, but she had agreed with her roommate that there was no way Callie would cheat on or leave Arizona. She would even go so far and say that Callie could never love anybody else as much as she loved the blonde. "You guys are good again?"

"We're perfect", Arizona smiled and not so subtle used her left hand to bring the cup to her mouth. Her eyes found Callie who was shaking her head with a snort.

"OH MY FREAKING-!" Blue eyes went wide and a hand immediately reached out to pull Arizona's hand closer to her eyes. "Holy- Is that what I think it is?"

"I don't know... what do you think this is?", Arizona played the unknowing.

She turned around to face the Latina. "Did you pop the question without telling me?"

"Oh oh, sounds like Teds is mad at you, Calliope."

Lifting her hands in defense first, Callie then put her arm around Teddy's shoulder. It was one of the other girl's habit to simply change the topic when she was nervous to talk about what was really going on. Frankly, Arizona showing off the ring had given her the perfect opportunity to do so, but the state Teddy was in was enough for her to know, that she really needed to talk. "So, you ran? Why? What happened?"

"She- I- we-" Taking a deep breath and counting to five in her head, she tried again, "I kissed her."

"We know that already. You still haven't talked about that?" Because that was four days ago, Arizona remembered.

"No no no. I kissed her. Not she kissed me. Not we kissed. _I_ kissed _her_. She came out of the bathroom with her body wrapped in only a small towel. And her hair was still wet and drops trickled down her skin and I just, I just lost it. I pushed her against the dresser and kissed her." She couldn't even believe she'd done that. She'd never been this... pushing before. Not with Henry, not with any other boy before. Passionate, yes, but never pushing.

"And then you left?", Callie asked. Their friends were so much alike. They showed up on their doorsteps at the crack of dawn or in the middle of the night - without any heads-up. And they both had a weird way of handling conflicts by running away from it.

"No... not immediately. I pulled away, wanted to tell her that I am sorry, but I wasn't. I am still not sorry. But I think she is, because she didn't say anything and now I am here."

"So, basically you ran away right after you kissed her", the other blonde stated. "You should talk to her."

"I can't. I tried and I just can't. She's... she's Addison. She made jokes about our first kiss and now I just kissed her again and everything is messed up." When another knock filled the open living room, Teddy looked at her friends. "If that's Addison, I'm not here." She went to slip away from the bar, but Callie stopped her.

"You're staying right where you are. If that is Addison, you're going to finally talk."

"Do you know that I can see your ass?", Teddy asked.

Ignoring her friend, Arizona opened the door and let her best friend in. "Good morning to you too, Ads", she said when the redhead walked in without saying a word and closed the door. She didn't dare to walk back to her breakfast, not wanting to risk Addison making a comment about her almost naked ass as well. Though she probably had more important things on her mind. She looked almost as bad as Teddy, with her hair hanging over her shoulders in slightly wet strands. But the day that Addison Montgomery was not dressed beyond perfect had still to come.

"Hey...", she said.

"Hey", Teddy smiled back. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you. I knew you'd be here. I-"

"Callie asked Arizona to marry her", Teddy interrupted her roommate before Addie could say something she was not sure she wanted to hear.

"WHAT?" She spun around on her heels. "You're kidding me, right?"

"No", Arizona stated simply and held up her hand to show Addison the ring with a big smile on her face.

"Cheating on you my ass! I told you she'd never do that."

"I know you did. And I didn't say that she was, I was just scared that she'd met someone better", she clarified and looked at the brunette. "I never thought you were cheating."

"There will never be someone better", Callie replied with a smile. Unfaithfulness was something, neither of them had to be scared about. Jealousy, because one of them got hit on, yes, they had to deal with it. Being scared about losing the other half, yes, Callie had been there at one point as well. But they trusted each other with their heart and their life. Of course, she could only talk for herself when she said that cheating was something she would never do, but deep down she knew for sure that Arizona thought the same.

"Okay. I think I really don't need to say this, but I am happy for you", the redhead smiled and hugged her best friend. "And we will celebrate, later, but right now, I need to talk to Teddy."

"You do?"

"I do, so will you please come back with me so we can talk and these two can get all engrossed in their happy engagement-bubble and have lots and lots of sex?"

"Oh Addie, you know we already had lots and lots of sex last night... and this morning", Arizona grinned and watched Teddy's cheeks blush while Addison just made a face.

"Gross. Not what I needed to hear and so nothing I didn't know already because that hickey is highly visible, but I'll let it slide, today. But only for today."

"Why, thank you, Addie", Callie said and shook her head once again at her lover's words.

Ignoring the sarcasm in the Latina's voice, Addie turned to look at her roommate. "Will you please come home with me? So we can talk?" She was nervous as hell, she was just better at hiding it. Up until this morning, she still hadn't figured out what she wanted or what that kiss had meant for her. But when she'd felt the blonde's lips on hers again, it all made sense. And if Teddy had not ran away, she'd have told her after getting dressed. "Please?"

"Okay", Teddy agreed and stood up to hug the Latina. "Thanks for letting me freak out", she whispered.

"Any time, Teddy."

"Congratulation. We should definitely celebrate tonight. Hit the club, or something like that", the redhead smiled. "Text me later?"

"Will do", Arizona replied and opened the door to let the girls out. She should feel like a doorman or something, but watching as Addison reached out to take Teddy's hand made up for it, a lot. "Talk!", she reminded them and closed the door once they left the apartment.

"If we're going to go out later I definitely need more sleep", Callie stated while cleaning up the breakfast bar.

"Sleep later, celebrating now", Arizona said with a grin, pulled off her shirt only to let it fall to the floor right in front of Callie's eyes and walked straight into their bedroom. "You coming?"

"Not yet", she grinned mischievously and followed her fiancée, knowing that 'more sleep' would really have to wait for another couple of hours.

xxx

Cold wind hit them as they exited the cab and the air smelled like it had rained at least the whole night. Arizona reached out to take her fiancée's hand with a big smile on her face and they walked the few feet to her old home. "It was a good idea", she stated, simultaneously tightening the hold to her travel bag. After waking up for the second time yesterday, Callie had suggested that instead of calling their parents, they could just fly over and stay a few days before flying back to Miami and stay a week at the beach house. Arizona, of course, had instantly been on board. It was way better than talking on the phone or via Skype and the last time they had seen their families was during Christmas break almost seven months ago. So Callie had booked their flight for 9am, Boston time and now they were here, quarter after 1pm, Seattle time. "Ready to be squished to death?", the blonde joked. They had decided that it was safer to just drop by and see if her mom was home, since they didn't know if Susan was scheduled today and they really wanted to surprise them with their appearance.

"As ready as I'll ever be", the Latina smiled. Truth was, she couldn't wait to see their families again. She'd missed them all so much. But furthermore, she couldn't wait to see their reactions to them being engaged. Their friends had reacted just as expected and Addison had put her foot down on a girls night out although she had tried to reason with her that there was an early flight to catch. 'Just till midnight', the redhead had argued. Yeah, they'd gotten home around 2am and the alarm had shocked them out of bed just around 6.30 to take a quick shower and head out. At least, Addie and Teddy had volunteered to drive them to the airport. Both seemed to be on a good path again, judging by the hot and grinding dancing that had occurred last night, hence the late hours of getting home. But she'd had fun and Arizona had had even more fun watching their friends getting all touchy and flirty. Stifling a yawn, she caressed the back of her lover's hand with her thumb. "We can squeeze in a little nap, later, right?"

"I doubt my mom will let us go so soon, but we should manage to get an hour or two between now and dinner." She was tired too, beyond tired even. Because unlike the brunette, she could not sleep while being thousands of feet in the air, locked up in a silver tin box with wings. She was still scared of flying and she wondered if that would ever go away. The only positive thing she could think of about flying with Callie was snuggling up against her side and watching whatever movie was on while the soft breaths of the Latina somewhat soothed her fears.

"Oh, do you think your grandma is going to bring her banoffee pie? I hadn't had one in months and... it would simply be amazing", she grinned.

"I think that's a given. Once mom calls her to come over for dinner, she'll probably send my grandfather out to get the missing ingredients", the blonde smiled. "Mhmm, Robbins' banoffee pie." She subconsciously licked her lips at the thought of that and her mouth started to water. "We should-"

"Yeah, let's", she interrupted Arizona and started moving. It had started to rain again – and being in Seattle, it went from not raining at all to soaking someone within minutes - and she really wasn't a fan of the cold drops that were pelting down on her. She admitted, she always missed the weather when they were in Boston or even Miami, she even missed the rain she grew to love while growing up here. But being tired, cold ___and _wet was just not one of her favorite things.

Ringing the bell, Arizona could immediately hear the cracking voice of her brother, hollering out for his mom that he would get it. She smiled. Her little brother was growing up and he had probably changed since the last time they video-phoned on Skype. "I forgot that he's on break too already."

"The more the better", the Latina smiled. Though it would have been nice to tell their news to all of them at the same time, she knew that it was a) not possible to keep it a secret from Barbara and b) they would have had to tell them they were coming over and that would have ruined the surprise. So they settled for telling everyone bit by bit.

"Zona?" Tim's blue eyes went wide as he opened the door and saw his big sister. He was really the only one who was allowed to call her by the shortened version of her name and Callie thought that it was the sibling-bonus. She tried it once and Arizona had not been amused. "MOM!", he yelled into the house. "MOM, Zona and Callie are here!"

The blonde let go of the carry-all and welcomed her – not so – little brother in a heartwarming embrace. "Hey Timmy", she smiled. "Geez, you need to stop growing." He was still smaller than her, but he had yet a few years ahead of becoming taller and taller. For now though, he was still her little fourteen year old brother.

"Arizona?", reached Barbara's voice their ears, followed by Susan's, "Calliope?"

"Mom", the Latina grinned and rushed past her lover and soon to be brother- and mother-in-law and fell into the awaiting arms of her mother, her suitcase completely forgotten in the rain. "It's good to be home."

"We didn't know you were coming", Susan replied, not letting go of her daughter for a good ten seconds and pecked her cheeks. She just knew it had been a good idea to have some coffee with Barbara on her day off. It had been kind of a gut feeling, so she'd called the other woman to tell her she'd be there at some point before noon. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"It was all pretty spontaneous," Arizona answered with the last breath in her lungs before her mother pulled her in for one of her bone-crushing hugs. "Mom, it's okay."

"My baby is home." She wiped her cheeks to get rid of the shed tears. It was always the same with Barbara Robbins. When they came home for the first Christmas, she'd cried and then she'd cried some more, when they had to leave again. It had gotten better over the years, but she was still overwhelmed every time her firstborn came home. "Come in and out of the cold", she rushed and tugged at the blonde's hand since Callie was already inside. "To what do we owe this visit?"

"Can't we just stop by?", the blonde teased while watching her brother bringing in their bags. Studying his facial features, she noticed that he looked more and more like her father. She'd seen pictures of her dad's childhood and even if they were all black and white, one couldn't deny the resemblance between father and son.

"Of course you can. But it's quite the way for just dropping by and you usually call upfront", Barbara reasoned. They'd all walked into the kitchen and she was getting out two cups and preparing some hot cocoa for her girls.

"Yeah well, like I said, it was really spontaneous. One minute we were celebrating, the next we had the idea and booked the flight and another minute later we were hitting the club and dancing with Addison and Teddy. Addie actually decided to live her last year at Harvard in her dorm room, although the Captain finally gave her the green light to look for an apartment." They had all been surprised how persistent he had been with his daughter and his punishment. Addie had done everything to get into her father's good book again. She'd aced all her exams from the beginning, and he still hadn't given in. And now that he finally let it slide, she had found a reason to stay at the dorm.

"She does? I thought she wanted to get out of there as fast as possible?", Susan chimed in. "And what was there to celebrate? You already got the last exams back, knowing you passed?"

Shaking her head, Callie sat down on a chair next to her mom, but avoided to look her in the eyes. "That needs another three to five weeks, mom. No we were, uhm...", she trailed off and looked over to her fiancée.

"Arizona Robbins", Barbara's voice filled the room. "Why did your girlfriend just blush while trying to answer her mother's question? Did you do something?"

"Why do you always assume ___I_ did something?", Arizona asked, faking being shocked. "You know, she's not an angel, right?"

"That's 'cause you're the daredevil", Tim stated, earning a glare with narrowed eyes from his big sister. "What? It's the truth."

"Okay, spill", Arizona's mother demanded, her voice leaving no room for an argument. Not that the blonde would have started to argue about telling them the big news, still, she flinched at the tone.

Grabbing the Latina's hand and smiling down at her, she straightened her composure, before she opened her mouth and said the three words, "We are engaged." The smile on her face was sheepish, yet bright and radiating with love for the brunette.

A spoon hit the kitchen counter, but other than that, the room went silent. Nobody said a word as three pairs of eyes were glued to the girls.

"Uhm, okay, you're allowed to say something, you know that, right?", the blonde asked nervously. So not the reaction they had been expecting. "Mom?" Softly placing her hand on her mom's shoulder she looked at the woman's face and saw the tears. "You okay?"

Meanwhile Susan's brain had caught up to the uttered words and her smile was almost as big as the blonde's when she hugged her daughter. "Congratulations", she whispered in the Latina's ear.

"Mom?", Arizona tried anew.

"My baby is growing up", she sniffed, turned around to face her daughter and pulled her in once again.

Relieved, the blonde let out a sigh and sank into the warm embrace. "Thank God. For a minute there you had me worried, mom."

"No. God, no. I am just- how? When?"

"Ask her, she was the one who popped the question", she replied and pointed at Callie with her thumb. "I was just a willing participant, saying yes when I had to." When her mother finally let go of her, Tim was already waiting to tell her how happy he was for his sister.

"Sunday", the brunette said when blue eyes were directed at her, silently asking the same questions. "We thought about calling you but decided to tell you in person."

"Come here", Barbara rasped and put her arms around Callie. "I am so happy for the two of you. We should have dinner tonight and call your grandparents so you can tell them as well. Your father will be home around 7pm, Liam should have made it here by that time too, right?"

"Definitely. The conference he's attending should end around five", Susan assured. She looked at the brunette and noticed the love she had for Arizona in her eyes. "He always thought that Arizona would ask some day."

"I would have", the blonde agreed, "sooner or later. Callie just beat me to it." Kissing the set of full lips, she eased herself into the warm body of her lover. "Do you want to see the ring?", she asked her mom, already holding out her hand.

"Oh my- Calliope, it's beautiful!", both mothers gushed, both knowing that the Latina had a really good eye for elegant beauty.

"You don't even know the best part. She ___designed_ it. Like, there's no other person out there with the same ring. It's unique." She had spent quite some time looking at it. The simplicity of the band and the absolutely detailed diamond butterfly. It was a contrast, like their colors of skin, like their characters. It mirrored them in the most perfect way.

"Just like our love", Callie whispered into the blonde's ear, making her all smiley and happy. She had to muffle yet another yawn while Barbara was talking and planning dinner.

Feeling her lover behind her tense up for a moment, Arizona looked at her mom. "Do you mind if we take a nap? It was really late last night and way too early this morning. Apparently you have no choice than to board the 9am plane when you want to be on a flight without a stop. We're just-"

"No, Arizona, we should help our moms."

"No, honey. It's okay, really. You just get some rest, we'll get the groceries and call your grandparents so grandma can make you banoffee pie", Barbara brushed off Callie's offer to help. "Just go upstairs and let us do the work down here."

"You sure about that?", the Latina asked, this time not able to keep her yawn to herself. "Maybe you're right", she laughed.

"Tim, help your ___sisters_ with the bags, would you?", Arizona's mother asked, emphasizing the word 'sisters'. It had never been a secret that Callie was very much welcome in this family – just like Arizona had somehow always been in the Menken's family– but actually hearing it, made everyone smile.

"On it, mom", he said, got up from the chair and grinned, "Come on, ___sisters._"

* * *

AN2: I don't know about other writers but I have this one guest (or at least I think it is just one) that leaves crappy reviews. I love your reviews, guest or registered user. Well, I just want to say something to the troll so you can save that time. I will continue to delete them, because if you try to make me feel bad or like shit or whatever, you are allowed to come off anon and say that to my face.

AN3: That being said, I will keep reposting TIAM and continue with TIAM2 as long as there is at least one who wants to read it and as long as it helps me to relax. Love you guys!


	38. We are the lucky ones Part 3

AN: Guys, you are awesome, really! Here's the fourth update. Extra long and full of fluff. Enjoy!

* * *

When Callie woke up again with the blonde curled up at her side, she didn't know what time it was and to check it, she'd have to get out of bed to get her cell phone. Groaning as she tried to stretch her arm whose shoulder was used as a pillow by her lover, she used the other to cover her yawn. At some point during their nap, Arizona had tangled her leg between hers and though they were both fully clothed under the blanket, it felt just right. But she knew they should get up soon. If they'dmake a habit of taking naps every afternoon, they'd never fall back to an accurate sleep schedule. Yet, she still felt tired and could easily drift off again.

Of course they didn't go to sleep immediately after getting upstairs. They'd cuddled, talked about Teddy and Addison and enjoyed being just the two of them for a while before Arizona was the first one dozing off and she had soon followed.

Hearing the soft knocking on the door, she tried to sit up despite knowing that it was pointless with Arizona's body trapping her to the mattress. The usual light sleeper was still so far gone in dreamland, that she tried to go with another tactic. "Come in?", her voice softly called out, hoping she was loud enough so whoever was on the other side of the door would hear her.

The door cracked open just a little bit, so Tim's head could be seen. "Hey", he whispered with a smile. "Mommy said I should come and get you. Grams and grandpa just arrived."

"Thanks", she smiled back. "What time is?"

"Just after five", he replied. "Zona still sleeping?"

"Yeah. She wore herself out on the dance floor. Tell Barbara we'll be down in ten to fifteen minutes, okay? I'll wake her and make sure she doesn't look like she'd just gotten out of bed", the brunette snickered while lightly stroking the blonde's arm that was clutching tightly over her stomach.

"Sure thing", he answered before he carefully closed the door just as quietly as he'd opened it.

"Hey honey", she softly breathed against the top of her lover's head. "Time to wake up."

"Mhmm", the blonde groaned. Without even recognizing in her sleepy mind, she stretched her legs and toes. "Mhmm..."

Chuckling, Callie brushed her lips against her fiancée's forehead and inhaled the scent of the blonde's shampoo. Lemon. Her hair always smelled fruity and most of the times it was any sort of lemon fruits. "Wakey wakey", she grinned.

"Nooo", was the first actual word that left pink lips. It could easily be misheard as just another mumbled growl, but Callie new her lover any time of the day. Morning, noon, night. She knew the morning person Arizona usually was and the rare times she wasn't, she was still very pleasant to be around – unlike Addie for example who was just a horrible person in the morning before the first sip of coffee. She knew the tired version of the blonde when they'd fallen asleep on their couch after a long day and Arizona was always the one suggesting to just stay there for this one night. And if Callie wouldn't insist on moving to their bed, the blonde would probably spend half the nights of a year on the couch.

"Your grandparents are here and I promised to wake you up."

Blue eyes fluttered open and close a couple of times before Arizona moved to look at the girl beneath her, asking, "Morning?"

"More like afternoon", the Latina chuckled. "Sleep well?"

"Like a baby", she murmured in response and rubbed her eyes. "On the best pillow ever." Straining her fingers before clenching both hands into slack, muscle-less fists, she snuggled deeper into the body next to her. "How did you sleep?"

"Like a rock. I really needed that."

"Yeah me too", Arizona answered. "You even slept on the flight here, I don't know how I managed to be up long enough to get here", she joked, knowing that it was pure excitement that got her body moving. But the nap was definitely needed. "What time is it?"

"Somewhat after five. I said we'll be down in ten minutes, thought you probably want to go to the bathroom before you welcome your grandparents." She brushed blonde tresses out of the young woman's face and was instantly met with shining blue eyes. "What?"

"Nothing. Just... I knew there was a reason I agreed to marry you. You're smart." Leaning in before the Latina could counter with a witty comment, she claimed her lips in a loving, yet deep kiss. "Do you", she started when she pulled back, "think that Teds and Ads are okay? I am a little scared because we haven't heard of them in a while."

"Well, one, we were sleeping and two, they were okay last night and this morning. What makes you think they're not okay now?", the brunette asked. "They are probably still dead to the world. I don't think we need to worry about them unless one of them calls us."

"Yeah, you're right, I guess." She knew she should get up but the warm cocoon that was shielding them from the cold weather and everything outside of this room was too tempting to just stay here for just another minute, or two, or three.

"Come on, let's get up, changed and downstairs. I know you want to see them just as much as they want to see their granddaughter", Callie shooed and crawled out from under the petite body.

"Why do you always have to be right?", the blonde groaned, still she got up and changed her sweats for her jeans. "I look..."

"Like you'd just taken a nap. Nothing a splash of water, a toothbrush and a comb couldn't repair", she grinned, since she had already changed her clothes and started brushing through the tips of her thick curls. She'd thought about cutting them, but every time she was close to do it, Arizona had mentioned how much she loved Callie's long, dark locks.

"Calliope?"

"What?", her head snapped up at the sudden sound of her name.

"I asked if you wanted me to wait so we could go downstairs together", the blonde grinned, sensing that she had caught her lover in one of her deep thoughts or daydreams.

Seeing that Arizona already looked a lot better now that her hair wasn't disheveled anymore but framed her beautiful face in its natural waves, and that she'd exchanged the light hoody for a royal blue shirt, she nodded. "Yeah."

She took the hand the blonde was holding out for her and they'd made a quick stop in the bathroom to brush their teeth. Their eyes almost never losing contact through the mirror. Once they felt like humans again, they headed down the stairs.

Standing at the threshold to the living room, Arizona heard her grandfather's laugh and it immediately made her smile. The trademark Robbins-grin and dimples popped into her cheeks when she spotted her grandma as well. "Hey guys."

Looking at the clock on the wall, Tim grinned, "Just in time, fifteen minutes, Calliope."

"I know", she shrugged with a smile. It was remarkable how much Tim came after Daniel's behavior, whether it came to schedules or his demeanor. Clearly a Robbins through and through, just like his big sister – without being that much of a rebel.

"Did you bring banoffee pie, grandma?", the blonde asked before even hugging the elder Robbins'.

"Arizona..." Callie shook her head. "Sometimes I think food is the only thing that's on your mind. How did you make it into Harvard?", she teased. "Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Robbins."

"Oh dear, how many times do we have to tell you that you can call us Elisabeth and Samuel. You're a part of this family", grandma Robbins chastised in a warm voice. "Right, Samuel?"

"Of course, darling", he agreed with his wife of almost forty years and sent the Latina a welcoming smile. "And you should know that by now." Of course, it had taken the older couple some time to come to terms with Arizona's sexuality. They'd grown up in a time that was so different from the present. But eventually, they had accepted it. There hadn't really been much of a choice to make for them when they saw how the girls were around each other, the love pretty much evident even in the early stages of their relationship. And all they wanted for their grandchildren was to be happy.

"How do you know already?", the blonde interrupted and walked over to greet first her grandma and then her grandfather.

"Know what already?", Elisabeth asked confused.

"So you don't know?", Arizona asked back and tilted her head to the side. "It sounded like you'd already know the big news. Mom didn't tell you, did she?"

"Of course not, Arizona", came Barbara's answer as she walked into the living room as well, drying her hands with a dishtowel. "I wouldn't spoil all your fun."

The gray-blue eyes of Elisabeth Robbins flickered between her daughter, granddaughter and the brunette and then back again. Noticing the moving on Arizona's left side, she let her gaze wander down to the blonde's hands and saw that the girl was playing with something on her finger. "I don't know about you, Samuel, but I think our family is keeping a secret from us. And I would even go so far and say that this secret is a pretty big move in form of a small thing on Arizona's finger", she mused.

Instantly freezing in her movement, the blonde's eyes found her grandparents. Feeling the need once again to be closer to her fiancée, she stepped into the Latina's embrace, nervously tapping her right foot on the hardwood floor.

"I think it's safe to say she knows now, so you can tell her", Callie whispered into her lover's ear, finding the change in the blonde's attitude and her nervousness utterly adorable.

"Calliope asked me to marry her and I said yes", she said proudly, a beaming smile on her face. She couldn't say it often enough and really wished her father would be home already. Or Liam. This way though, she'd get to say it at least one more time since Callie wanted to be the one to tell her father which was completely understandable in Arizona's eyes.

Being pulled into a bear-hug by the oldest Robbins' in the room, Callie let out a content sigh, understanding that this was his way of giving her the approval. "Thank you, Sir", she mumbled against his chest.

"No, thank you for making her happy", he smiled back at her and then they switched and he was picking up the blonde who squealed in shock. Who would think that a man of sixty plus years would still be strong enough to lift his grown up grandchild of the ground.

Elisabeth put her hands on the brunette's shoulders, her eyes were slightly glistening with tears. "I knew what you two have is special and I am so happy for you."

"Thank you", Callie replied with a lump forming in her throat. She wasn't scared that their engagement would be met with anger or a refusal, but seeing that every important person in their lives was happy for them just touched her enormously. "Thank you", she said again before stealing herself away to place a soft kiss on her lover's lips. "I can't wait to tell our daddy's."

"Neither can I, Calliope. I love you."

"I love you too."

xxx

"'Zona, daddy's car just pulled up the drive way", Tim announced. He had been watching the street from his spot by the window to tell his sister when the Colonel was getting home. "Oh, and Liam's car just pulled up too. Luck's on your side, Callie."

Both girls had been on the edge of their seats, anciently awaiting the arrival of their fathers. The brunette's feet had been tapping the floor the whole time, her knees rapidly bouncing up and down while she had pushed her hands under her legs to keep herself from fidgeting or biting her fingernails. Arizona had been better at hiding the excitement, chatting on and on with her grandparents to pass the time. But as soon as the words had left Timmy's mouth, she'd jumped up from her spot between the older couple and rushed to the hallway, wanting to surprise her father with her presence.

Callie though was back to being her usual patient, yet nervous self, standing up slowly and walking out of the living room to stand beside the gorgeous blonde who was now bouncing on her heels.

"Are you still nervous, Calliope?", Arizona asked her lover and took a tan hand in hers. "There's no need to be so jumpy. You know they will love the news."

"Yeah", she replied, combing her fingers through her hair and tucked a few loose strands behind her ear. She wasn't afraid that their fathers would actually be against the engagement or something like that. She was simply just excited to see her dad's reaction.

"Shsh, they're coming", the blonde grinned, her fingers tapping the Latina's shoulder as she heard the Colonel and Liam talking on the other side of the front door, her father asking what Liam was doing here and if he'd forgotten about a planned dinner. She giggled. Colonel Daniel Robbins would never forget anything that was scheduled. "DADDY!", she squealed as soon as the man opened the door and jumped at him, flinging her arms around his neck.

He reacted just fast enough to catch the body and keep them from stumbling backwards in surprise. "Dimples?" He never let that name down. She was and would probably forever be his little girl. Tightening his arms around the small form of his daughter, he closed his eyes to savor the moment. People who did not know him might always see the strong and stern marine, but his family and closest friends knew the big softy he was under the hard armor.

"Hi dad", Callie smiled as Liam stole his way past the hugging father and daughter. "It's good to see you."

"How come you're getting more beautiful every time I see you?", the man asked, embracing the brunette in his strong arms. "How are you. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, dad. Everything is perfect."

"How's college going? You're not getting into trouble and join every party on campus, are you?"

"No, of course not, dad", Callie chuckled. They stayed away from alcohol as much as possible and aside from the very few occasions that they had crashed into drunken guys at Addie's dorm after girls nights, things went pretty smooth. Teddy and the redhead were the same when it came to alcohol, the other blonde said that the one time she'd tried beer, Mark had made fun of her because she'd been making a face for a good ten minutes.

"And exams?", Daniel asked, expecting to hear that he didn't have to worry about college.

"Okay, interrogation time is up, dad", the blonde laughed and pulled her father along into the living room.

"I see, we're a little crowded tonight."

"Is that why you told me to come here instead of going home?", Liam asked his wife who only nodded. "So what is this? Just an ordinary get together because the girls are home?"

"Nope", Arizona announced. Her father had already kissed Barbara hello and welcomed the older Robbins. "Although I think us being here is reason enough to have a family dinner out of the blue." The smile that took over her lips could light a dark room and her blue eyes were shining just as bright as her smile. "Do you wanna tell them?", she asked the Latina. She had had the honor to tell the rest of their family and since Liam and Daniel came in together, it seemed only fair.

"Tell us what? You're not sick, are you?", Liam worried. "None of you look sick."

"Dad", Callie chuckled and rolled her eyes. Ever since they'd moved out, he was afraid of getting a call or letter or whatsoever that something bad had happened. He and Barbara were in the same boat on that, though. Susan was calmer, maybe because she was a nurse. "I just told you that I am fine and so is Arizona. In fact, I think that she's even better now than two days ago."

Noticing the bouncy blonde standing next to his daughter, he let out a sigh of relief. They looked healthy and happy. More than happy, even. They were glowing and every little glance they shared showed how much they loved each other. "What happened two days ago?", he asked confused.

"I asked Arizona to marry me", she stated and left it at that at first, wanting to see their fathers reactions. Daniel's face was unreadable – as it was most of the time. Liam on the other side looked stunned and kind of waiting for the answer. "Of course she said yes." The tingling feeling that took over all of her body was almost unbearable, but in the best possible way. It felt like that every time they told other people, it became more real.

The first one to react was the Colonel by hugging both girls at the same time, telling Callie that she should already know that she was more than just welcome in his family and then saying that he could never imagine anyone better for his daughter. It made the blonde tear up and Callie had to swallow yet another knot before it could form in her throat.

Liam obviously needed a minute to let the words sink in. His daughter was getting married? Because, although she was not his daughter in a biological way, in his heart she was and would always be. She had been from the moment they took her home with them just a few weeks before Christmas when she was six years old. And now, looking at her, he could still see the little child with these big brown eyes, the shy smile and the green cast. But he could also see the strong woman she'd become, strong in heart and character. "You're getting married?", he asked, still having a tough time to wrap his mind around it.

Walking over to her husband, Susan placed her hand on his cheek, looking at him with the same love in her eyes she had for him years ago. "Our girl is growing up."

"Obviously", he replied with a smile. Finally shaking his head to shake off the good memories, he hugged the girls as well. "Seems like we're getting another daughter, right, honey?"

"Yeah", Susan smiled. "But we have to share our girl as well, so I think it's only fair. What do you think, Barbara should we start planning?"

"Definitely."

"Guys, we're not getting married this weekend or the next", the blonde snickered. "We just got engaged."

"You can never have enough time to plan a wedding, Dimples", her mother told her. "There's so much to do. Cakes, dresses, bridesmaids, tuxes... uniforms. And then there's a location to be found and choices need to be made about meals and decoration."

When her mom listed everything and counted it on her fingers, Arizona just stared at her wide-eyed. She leaned in and whispered into her lover's ear, "Did you know it took that much planning?"

Callie just shook her head. "You still sure you want to do it?", she asked, cupping Arizona's cheeks with both hands and weaving her fingertips into the golden tresses of her fiancée. "I think the only time left to back out is now."

"The only second to back out was before I said yes to marrying you", she answered with a sweet smile. "And there was no way I would have turned you down." Getting up on her toes, she brushed her lips against the Latina's in a long loving kiss, not caring that there was actually their whole family around and almost overhearing that her mom called out that dinner was ready. But the persistent cough from her father made her finally pull away and end the kiss. "We should-"

"Yeah, we should", Callie smiled, her eyes still dreamy and she was feeling a little dizzy from the kiss they'd just shared. She watched when the blonde and everybody left the living room, leaving her alone for just a few seconds to take a breath. It was their family now, not hers and Arizona's. They had been merging into one family over the years and with their wedding, they'd eventually be one bunch of Robbins' and Menken's and Torres'.

"Hey, are you coming?", Arizona asked, startling the brunette. "Everything okay? You're not having second thoughts already, do you?"

"No", she replied and smiled. "About you, I'll never have second thoughts."

"Perfect", the blonde grinned, pecked her lover on the cheek and dragged her along so they could finally start dinner and then go over to have some banoffee pie. She sat down on the chair and when the Latina took in the seat next to her, her father cleared his throat and raised his glass. "Dad-"

"Just a small toast to our beautiful girls who will finally seal the deal and become honest women", he winked at his daughter. "We're happy for you."

"To Calliope and Arizona!", Tim grinned and touched his glass against the one in his father's hand. "My sisters!"

xxx  
Later that night, when everybody had left or gone to bed, they were lying in Arizona's old bed with the TV running in the background and the blonde zapping through the channels because everything was just boring. Callie didn't care, though. She was happy just lying here in the arms of her girlfriend, with her head resting on her lover's chest and the drumming lub-dub sound of her heart in her ear.

"Do you think we should check on Teds and Ads?", Arizona asked suddenly and put the remote down on the nightstand when she finally settled for what seemed to be a very mushy movie.

"I don't think that's necessary", Callie replied, noticing that the blonde was already fumbling with her phone. "What are you doing?"

"Calling them. Just to let them know we're still alive", she said with a wink, scrolling through the contacts in her phone with one hand and lazily drawing patterns on the Latina's arm and her stomach with the other. "And in return see if they are still alive", she added, grinning from ear to ear and putting the phone against her ear. But after a few seconds, she let the cell slide down. "Voice mail." Trying again with the same outcome, she decided to try and reach Teddy only to be send to the voice mail again. "Ugh, why do people have cell phones when you still can't reach them?"

"Maybe they are already back to bed", Callie shrugged. "It's what, little after midnight in Boston?"

"Yeah", the blonde mumbled but then blue eyes lit up and she shifted so they were lying face to face and she could look into the soulful brown orbs of the brunette. Wiggling her eyebrows, she suggested, "Or they are doing the nasty."

"Arizona, you don't know that!", Callie laughed, subconsciously tightening the hold of her arm around the blonde's body. "If we're lucky they talked after all the dancing they did last night, so not everything is just awkward when we come back."

"I think they're doing it", she insisted, based on the things she'd seen on their night out at the club. Because if that didn't look like sexual tension, then she didn't know what did. And she even thought she'd caught them kissing, but in the dim light on the dance floor and with them being a few feet away from their friends, she wasn't entirely sure.

"Still, you can't say for sure. Maybe they decided that it's just not it for them."

"Have you not seen them? And besides, we would turtely be doing it if we would not be in my old room, in my parents' home and if you would still know how to keep your moans to yourself." She ran her hand down the Latina's arm, relishing in the goose bumps she left behind with her soft touch. Lifting the hem of Callie's shirt, her fingernails lightly scratched over the velvety skin of her lover's lower abdomen and hip bones, feeling the body shivering against hers. "See..."

"Uhm..." Swallowing hard and trying to hold back the blood from rushing into her cheeks and making her blush, she nodded, knowing very well that her body betrayed her with its reaction. "Yeah... yeah, we would."

"So, I say they're doing it", Arizona said in a flirtatious tone, her fingers dancing higher and higher under the fabric of the Latina's shirt until she reached the edge of the bra. "And I can so understand them." Leaning down, she attached her lips to her fiancée's neck, gently sucking at the skin over the pulse point, eliciting a low quiet moan. "Shsh..."

"You're im- impossible, Arizona." Keeping her breathing under control as best as she could, she closed her eyes to do the same with her increasing heartbeat.

"Mhmm", the blonde hummed against Callie's throat before she tore her mouth away from the throbbing beat beneath tan skin. "Impossible cute and you love me."

She opened her eyes and was instantly met with her lover's smiling face, ocean blue eyes staring at her, making her smile too. "That I do, that I do." This time she was the one to close the gap between them and connect their lips in a loving kiss. Pulling the smaller body into hers with her hand, both got lost in a pretty heavy make out session that left them both out of breath.

"You know", Arizona panted when they parted to refill their lungs, "sometimes I think one day I'll die because of one of those kisses."

"Not before I made you my wife though, please. Or I might have to watch how much you can take when I want to kiss you", Callie teased, holding the blonde as close as possible before letting her fingers wander up to her face. Cupping a pale cheek, her thumb softly tracing over the cheek bone, she watched as blue eyes fluttered close. "We're getting married", she whispered against pink lips.

"We're getting married", the blonde repeated, warmth and love spreading through her whole being. "What do you want for the wedding?"

"What do I want?", the Latina asked confused.

"Yeah. Like, red roses or pink ones, I'll even try to get you green roses if you want them", she smiled, knowing that after all those years, green was still the brunette's favorite color for everything, except for Arizona's clothes. "I'm not sure if they actually exist, I'd have to look it up, but I'd get them for you if you want them." Nervously playing with the collar of the brunette's shirt, she stared past her fiancée's face and thought for a moment. "Do you want to get married during summer? Or winter, fall, spring? We'd have to make a choice because depending on the weather in Seattle, we'd maybe have to-" Silenced by a finger pressed to her lips, she locked eyes with the stunning Latina.

"We still have time for that. Like you said, we're not getting married this weekend or the next", Callie chuckled, finding the blonde's rambling thoughts quite adorable. "Or do you want to get married so soon?"

"As long as you'll be the one walking down the aisle to meet me there, I think I can wait and give our moms time to prepare everything", she laughed. Their mothers had thrown various ideas on the table while they were having dinner and at the point that her grandma had joined them, there had been no chance to stop them. "So, you're not allowed to change your mind now, okay?"

"Got it", the brunette said and joined her lover's laughter. "On a serious note though, I would really appreciate a wedding without rain. I know that it is a little risky if we want to get married here, but maybe we'll be more lucky during summer? Maybe when we're halfway through med school? We'll be beyond busy with the finals next year, I don't want to have to plan a wedding on top of it. The same with the first year of med school, so I think if we settle for the second year, we should be a little more relaxed?"

"Yeah, I like the idea. Mom will be a little disappointed that it's still three years away, but I think she'll realize that it just gives her more time to plan everything." Gazing down the Latina's face, she felt herself drawn to full lips again. Licking her lips, she pushed herself more into Callie's body and crashed their lips in another passionate kiss. Her head was spinning again when she pulled away, but at the same time it was simply one of the best feelings. "I'll claim Addie as my maid of honor", she stated out of the blue.

"Fine with me", the Latina giggled. "Teddy will be just as thrilled to be mine."

"And a few years down the road, we'll do the same for them", Arizona exclaimed with a big grin plastered on her face.

"They haven't even sort out their feelings yet and you're already planning their wedding. Don't you think that's a little... ahead of things? Maybe you should let them have their first date first, before you pronounce them Mrs. and Mrs. Altman-Montgomery."

"Their names turtely go together", Arizona gushed and clapped her hands and then reached for her phone, obviously wanting to write a text message and terrorize the other 'couple'.

"Honey, please. Let them come to terms with everything first, okay? Until now, Addie only had boyfriends and so did Teds. Let them go at their pace", she tried to talk Arizona out of it and grabbed the phone.

"Hey, gimme that!" She climbed on top of the Latina's body and tried to get the item back but somehow Callie's hand was still out of reach.

"Nope", the Latina grinned. "Not if you don't promise to leave them alone."

Holding herself up on both hands so she would not accidentally fall onto the brunette, she huffed. "But... It's not going to do any harm. Come on, Addie will laugh about it." The pout that was forming on her lips got bigger and bigger with every passing second that Callie didn't give in.

"Teddy won't, maybe." She wasn't sure how the other blonde would react, but she knew her best friend and Teddy was not as outgoing as her fiancée or Addie. "I don't know, but us pressuring them into anything won't do them any good. So, we leave them alone for now and be the best friends they can have and only give advice when asked, okay?"

Mumbling something incomprehensible, Arizona finally let it go and slumped back on the mattress. "Fine."

"Thanks", Callie replied, softly kissing the blonde's nose. "I can tell you a little secret instead."

"We don't really have secrets for each other", Arizona replied, still a little miffed that the Latina stole her fun. "Proposal and surprises not included."

"But I have one", the brunette smiled, getting the attention she hoped for when blue eyes looked at her. "When I wake up and you're still asleep, and we're naked, I count the freckles on your shoulders and upper back."

"You do not!", she laughed.

"I do."

"That's so cheesy!"

"I can't help it. It's like, I know that I do it, but I didn't tell my brain to do it. If that makes sense. I think I know every single one by now. You have one here", she said and dug the tip of her forefinger softly against the blonde's shoulder blade then went on to another spot, "and one here."

"You really count them?"

"Mhmm", she hummed.

"Is that what you do before I wake up to your kisses on my neck?", Arizona wanted to know, feeling Callie's hand sweep away some of her locks.

"Sometimes."

"Will you still do it when we're married for thirty years and getting old and wrinkly?" The thought of spending the rest of her life with the beautiful brunette was something out of this world. And yet it gave her tummy all kinds of butterflies and tingly feelings.

"I will do it as long as you let me", she smiled, captured the set of pink lips with her own and pushed herself up so she was hovering over the blonde's body. "Or as long as you keep pretending that you're counting the curls in my hair when I catch you watching me sleep", she added before she leaned back into the kiss and let her tongue glide over Arizona's bottom lip, both sighing heavily as their kiss deepened. No more words needed to be said in that moment. They were together. They were engaged. They were in love and none of the rest of the world mattered.

xxx

Coming down the stairs the next morning, Callie blindly held herself up with one hand against the wall and one tightly holding on to the banister. She'd woken up to an almost empty bed less than five minutes ago and it was just something she wasn't used to anymore. Their usual morning routine started with a kiss, a soft smile, maybe some touching under the blankets or in the shower. But waking up to cold sheets and alone was definitely not a part of their mornings. So before she even opened her eyes, she'd jumped out of the bed and made her way out of Arizona's old room and down the hall to the stairs. She knew this house by heart, every corner, every rug, but she didn't want to risk falling down the stairs, hence her hands leading her down step by step, with her eyes still closed and a yawn escaping her lips.

She heard some rustling coming from the kitchen which was – judging by the smell of coffee – probably caused by Barbara since Arizona still made a lot of weird and disgusted faces when Addie and Teddy ordered some for them. Maybe the blonde would forever stick to cocoa, but maybe they'd both change once they started their internship. How else were they going to survive and stay awake the thirty hours shifts?

"Oh, good morning, Calliope", Barbara greeted her, affirming the Latina's suggestion. "Do you want breakfast? I made waffles."

Not seeing the big smile on her soon to be mother-in-law's face, she had yet to open her eyes, she touched around for the table and a chair to sit down. "Good morning", she answered, her brain had not caught up to the question Barbara had asked. "Where's Arizona?"

"Oh, she and Daniel left about fifteen minutes ago, I don't know what they are up to. She just said that she didn't want to wake you and that you should enjoy the morning", the older woman replied, preparing a plate with some waffles for the brunette. She was very much aware of the fact that Callie simply wasn't a morning person and that she needed a little longer to be fully awake.

"She didn't say anything?", the Latina wondered, brown eyes fluttered open and she looked around. They were alone in the kitchen, but she could hear the faint sound of the TV running in the living room now and guessed that had to be Tim then. "She didn't mention anything last night..."

"I think it was a little spontaneous. Even I was caught a little off guard when I came down after eight and Daniel was sitting here, drinking coffee and reading the newspapers."

"What time is it now?"

"Close to ten. You're still a deep sleeper, I assume? Dimples said you didn't even stir when she sneaked out of the bed." Putting the plate down in front of Callie with another smile, she poured herself another cup of coffee. "Juice?"

"Yes, please", Callie's face lit up as she dug the fork into her breakfast. Welcoming the first bite with an appreciative moan, she looked up to Barbara. "I don't know how you do it, but your waffles are simply the best."

"Thank you, dear", she laughed and handed her a glass with orange juice. "It's an old recipe from my grandmother and it's only passed on to our family member's. You'll get a copy when you two are married, if you want."

"Oh, I want! Arizona loves these waffles and I might be banned to feed her pancakes every morning if I don't know how to make them." Smiling and licking her lips before stuffing her mouth with another bite, she tried to keep the groans to herself. "Did Arizona say when they are going to be back?"

"I am sorry, no. Do you have any plans for later? You should call Dimples, then."

Callie chewed and then swallowed down the waffles before she answered, "No, I was just curious." She tilted her head to her left side, thinking about what she could do to pass the time until Arizona would be back. "Do you need anything?", she asked suddenly. "Groceries or something? I think I'll head to the mall after I took a shower. Maybe I find something."

"No, I have everything, thanks for asking. But Tim needs new soccer shoes and I haven't had the time to get that of my list. If you don't mind taking him with you?", Barbara asked and sat down beside the Latina, coffee cup still in hands.

"Of course I don't mind", Callie smiled. "I never mind spending time with my new brother."

"Have you thought about names?", Arizona's mother asked, startling the brunette.

"Name?"

"Your last name. You've always been a Robbins and Arizona has always been Torres and I think she's partly a Menken too, but have you thought about what you're going to do with your names? I don't want to push it or something and I know you're not getting married anytime soon, but... I'm just curious."

Laughing, Callie put the fork down. "It's funny. When I woke up the morning after I asked her, she was trying out our names. She was lying next to me, looking at me and saying 'Calliope Robbins' and 'Arizona Torres'. I think both names go really well and frankly, I don't mind taking her name as long as she'll be my wife", she answered, noticing the thoughtful expression on Barbara's face. "Is something wrong?"

"No, God, sweetie, no. You're right, both names are equally good and what matters is that you're getting married." Taking a sip of her coffee, she looked at the brunette. "I just thought that it would be nice if you keep your name, keep the Torres-family going. But it's not my decision to make, it's yours and Arizona's and no matter what it will be in the end, you'll be a Robbins', because you've always been one in your heart." She patted Callie's arm before she stood up again. "Do you want some more waffles?"

Looking at Barbara with watery eyes, the brunette shook her head. The woman's confession had gotten straight to her heart and she was a bit at a loss for words.

"Oh, morning Calliope", Tim walked in. He always altered between calling her Callie and Calliope. One day it was the shortened version of her name, the other it was her full name. Callie didn't mind. She still introduced herself as Callie to strangers, but she actually liked that her family stuck to using Calliope. It made it kind of special.

Tim's voice brought her back to reality and she managed to smile at him and return the words before telling him that she would take him to the mall if he wanted. "Be ready in an hour?"

"Sure thing", he grinned, the Robbins'-dimples popping into his cheek. He would break a lot of girls hearts when he was older. And this time was going to come soon, though he was still pretty focused on soccer, his interest in girls would show up out of nowhere any day now. After all, he was a fourteen year old teenager.

"Great. Thanks for breakfast, Barbara", Callie said and stood up, cleaning up her dishes and putting them into the dishwasher.

"No need to thank me for making breakfast. I love that it's not just Daniel and Tim for a while", she smiled, refilling the cup again with hot liquid caffeine. She knew she should take her consume of coffee down a notch, maybe even two, but some mornings she just needed more than others and today was one of those mornings. She had been too excited to go to sleep last night and although she could manage her days with only three to four hours of sleep easily, coffee kept her going a little better. "I'll give you some money before you two head out. Can you just make sure he doesn't get the most expensive one just because they look the best? Sometimes I think Dimples rubbed a bit off on him."

Not being able to suppress the laughter that came bubbling up her throat, Callie covered it with her hand. "Yeah. That's so Arizona. Always going for the pretty things."

"Well, I can't blame her. It's all her grandmother's fault and yours", Barbara said, her face completely blank now.

"My fault?"

"Yes. Don't think I don't know that you spoil her with all those little gestures and presents you always come up with. It's not a bad thing, but it's hard to keep up with you", she winked at the girl. "Though I have to say that I think that nothing will ever trump your love for her. Still, it proves my theory: she always goes for the most beautiful things in life."

Being left behind, dumbfounded for the second time this morning as Barbara walked out of the kitchen, Callie had to shake her head to clear her mind. Did that really just happen? Had she actually understood? She always thought, she was the one who struck gold with Arizona, that she was the lucky one because the blonde loved her back.

"You okay there?", Tim asked, walking in and to the fridge to get something to drink.

"Uhm, yeah. I'm fine. I'm going to get ready, okay?"

"Sure. If you're done just come and get me, I'll be claiming the TV until then", he grinned and while getting himself a glass from one of the upper cupboards. "You know you have to go upstairs to get ready, right?", he teased when Callie didn't move.

"Yeah, sure. I was just... lost in my thoughts, I guess", she replied, willing her feet to move and walk upstairs so she could indeed get ready. Entering the blonde's old room, she checked her cell phone, noticing a message from Arizona that got in just moments ago, telling her good morning. Pressing the contact instead of reply, she called the blonde.

"___Hey you, finally awake?"_, Arizona teased.

"Already had breakfast. You weren't there when I woke up", she said, knowing that her fiancée could hear the pout in her voice. "Where are you?"

"___Out with dad. Something came up. I should be home in a few hours. And I gave you a kiss before I left but you were still sound asleep."_

"Mhmm, I was tired." Grabbing fresh clothes from the suitcase, she walked into the bathroom and locked the door behind her.

"___No, you're just dead weight from the moment you enter dreamland"_, she laughed on the other end of the line. "___What are you up to? There's a little echo."_

"I'm just about to get showered", the brunette answered and pushed her pajama bottoms down her legs, "and then I'll take your brother to the mall. Do you need anything?"

"___Nope, I'm good"_, she grumbled, wanting to be there with Callie, especially in the shower. "___Will you be there when I get there? That is, if I ever make it home today."_

"Depends on when you're getting home...", the Latina replied, somehow thinking that Arizona was up to something.

"___I really don't know, Calliope"_, the blonde sighed, missing the brunette like she hadn't seen her in a week. "___Could be in an hour, could be in three. Daddy keeps dragging me from one end of the city to the other"_, she laughed. "___Please tell me you're not getting undressed while we're talking."_

"And what if I am?"

"___Calliope..."_, she whined. "___Not fair!"_

"Hey, I woke up to cold sheets", she rebutted. "You're not in the position to say I am not playing fair."

"___But... but... you already hid those magnificent legs from me last night by wearing long pants and you know I just love your legs. And you can't get undressed without me being there"_, she pouted. Fortunately, her father was out of earshot.

"I promise to be better tonight, okay?", Callie laughed. "But I really should get ready now."

"___Okay, fine"_, the blonde huffed.

"I see you later, okay? I love you."

"___Love you too"_, Arizona said and just with that, her pout had to make way for the smile that took over. "___Bunches."_

Smiling as well, Callie finally ended the call and stepped into the shower, flinching at first as the hot water cascaded down her neck and back. It washed away the remnants of fatigue and woke up even the last slumbering muscles and nerves in her body. Washing and rinsing her hair she thought that maybe today was the day she could pull through with her thoughts and out of nowhere, she felt all excited and bouncy. It seemed like Arizona had not only rubbed off on her brother but on her as well.

xxx

Finally home from the long hours trip through the city with her dad, who had just dropped her off, Arizona opened the front door and peeked inside to see if the coast was clear, just as Timmy came running down the stairs.

"Hey Zona, did you see Callie yet?"

"Tim", she chuckled. "I just got home." Scanning the boy in front of her from head to toe, she noticed the ball under his arm and that he was dressed in his sportswear, his feet glowing with bright green shoes. "New?"

"Yes! Callie was amazing, she let me try on as much as I wanted and only put her foot down on mom's no the new Nikes. So I got these PowerCats instead and I couldn't decide between red and green and she told me that she'd always choose green."

"Oh yeah, no need to tell me", she laughed.

"They are amazing, Zona, I tell you, a-ma-zing! I'm gonna try them now. PowerCats, go! Later!" Not wanting to wait for an answer, he was about to run past his sister, but she stopped him.

"Hey, why did you ask if I had seen Callie yet?"

"Nothing", he grinned with a shrug, wriggled his arm free and was out of the door before she could hold him back again.

Shaking her head at her little brother, knowing that she had been the same at the age of fourteen, she followed the smell of apple pie into the kitchen. "Hey mom." She put the bag she had been carrying on one of the chairs and turned around to face her mom.

"Hey Dimples, you got what you were looking for?"

"Yes", she answered with a beaming smile. "Dad said he should be home in time for dinner and told me to give you these." Handing her mother the bouquet of flowers, she saw the woman's face light up.

"Thank you. For playing the messenger, I mean. Have you seen Callie yet?", she asked too, filling a vase with water for the flowers.

Grabbing an apple from the bowl on the table, she leaned back against the kitchen counter and rolled the fruit between her palms. "No. Why is everybody asking me this. Is something wrong with her?"

"No, your fiancée is fine. I was just curious." Eying her daughter with a stern look she asked, "How many times do I have to tell you that we don't play with our food, Arizona?"

"A lot of times", the blonde grinned. "So, Callie is upstairs?"

"I guess. Tim and she got back from the mall about an hour ago and knowing her, she's standing in front of the mirror, trying everything she got on again and again", her mom laughed. "You two are so much alike when it comes to new clothes."

"I'm surprised Tim did not complain about going shopping with her", she said and raised her eyebrow. He always seemed to be the grouchiest little brother on earth when Arizona or their parents took him to the mall.

"Well, he seemed to like it, maybe Callie has some special powers neither of us has", Barbara smiled. "So, are you going to show me?"

"Show you what?", she asked before she bit into the apple.

"The..." Lowering her voice, she nodded to Arizona's hand and whispered, "You know what?"

"Oh, that!", she exclaimed and patted the pocket of her jacket. "Sorry mom, you can see the you-know-what later. I have some things to do and I really want Callie to be the first... okay, third to see it."

"Your dad approved?"

"'Course he did", she replied, still chewing on the apple. "And I didn't even have to ask for extra money." Smiling proudly, happy that her parents agreed to her suggestion to use the money from the account her parents had started for her when she was born, she looked out of the window. It was originally planned to help her through the college years, but since these costs were split in half, she'd saved a lot and even stocked it up herself from time to time. "And really, it's just perfect.

"What's in that bag?", Barbara asked, being her usual nosy self.

"Just a little extra something for my girl. Can't have her walking around in those damaged shoes anymore."

"New ones?"

"Indeed." Finishing the apple and tossing the rest of it into the bin, she asked, "Mom, can I ask you a favor?"

"Of course, Dimples. What do you need?"

"Nothing, just... I can prepare everything myself, I just need you to keep Callie in here while I set up the tree house. Just in case she comes down in the next thirty minutes, you know? You think you can do that?" Knowing her lover, she just knew that Callie would try to call her as soon as she'd found out that Arizona was 'not home' yet. "Please?"

"You are one lucky girl that I convinced your father not to demolish it this spring", Barbara laughed.

Baby blue eyes went wide at her mother's words. "He wanted to tear it down? Why? He can't just tear down my tree house! Why didn't you tell me he wanted to do that?"

"Dimples, calm down", Barbara stopped her daughter from having a heart attack. "I dissuaded him from doing it and Tim already assured him that he and you would probably not gonna talk to him for a few weeks if he would ever try again. Crisis averted."

"Tim is right", she just stated. "So..."

"So, if Callie comes down I just distract her with something, I got it. Do you need anything else?"

"The sleeping bags still in the cloakroom?"

"You know your father hates it when I move things around."

"A simple 'yes' would have been enough, mom. But thanks. I'll be outside preparing anything. I should be done in thirty minutes. Can you tell Callie to come to the tree then?"

"Go, I'll do the rest", her mother smiled, seeing that Arizona got more stoked with every passing second.

"Thanks mom, love you." Grabbing the bag from its place on the chair, she got the sleeping bags and then walked quickly through the living room and out through the glass door. Quietly closing it behind her, she somewhat sprinted over to the tree on the middle of the backyard on the Robbins' estate, hoping that Callie would not look out of the window of her room right now and instead be still busy posing in front of the mirror. If the Latina would catch a glimpse of her, her surprise would be completely ruined.

Climbing up the ladder, she noticed that her hands were already shaking. "Get a grip, Robbins", she admonished herself. "You are already engaged." Making it up the whole way, she looked around. It all looked exactly like they'd left it behind. There were still the chains of lights Callie had put up when she replaced the first ones a few years ago, that really came in handy now., since the big tree covered the house even by day in almost utter darkness. And luck was on her side as they illuminated the small space of the tree house, obviously they were still working.

She prepared everything, the bags were zipped together, just like they were when Callie had surprised her. She had bought some chocolate-coated fruits, strawberries, bananas, pineapples, almost everything her lover's heart could desire when it came to fruits. "Okay, lights on, bags zipped to one, fruits on the table...", she checked everything. "Music!" Reaching for her phone, she just pressed play and turned it down so it was not blaring through the air but softly giving away that something was going on up here.

And she was just finished in time when the next thing she heard was Callie's voice calling out for her. "Tree house", she hollered and waited. When the brunette's hands came into view, Arizona's brain kick started into overdrive and she started rambling, "Did you know that Dad wanted to-" But then all words died in her throat and a gasp left her lips instead.

"You okay there?", the Latina asked, a megawatt smile glued to her face as she lightly shook her head. To see the short tresses flying around her face was a pretty new sight and up until now, she really loved it.

Not saying anything, Arizona closed the small distance between them, all the while staring at her fiancée, not quite believing her eyes. Slender fingers weaved their way into dark hair, brushing through it and coming up empty just around Callie's shoulders. "Oh my God", she gasped. "What did you do?"

"Uhm, I got my hair cut?", the brunette asked back. Suddenly she got all nervous, thinking that her lover wouldn't like it.

"I can see that", she answered, blue eyes trailing down the other young woman's body, stopping just under her breasts while her hands made it down to the middle of the brunette's back, because that is where the dark curls had ended when they'd gone to bed last night.

"You don't like it?" Brown orbs locked onto her girlfriend's face as she voiced her worries.

She shook her head before thinking about her actions, only noticing that it could clearly be mistaken as a no to Callie's question when she saw the hurt in her lover's eyes. "NO! I'm just... speechless. You look so, oh my God, I don't know what to say. You're so beautiful, Calliope." Crashing her lips against the Latina's for a brief moment, she pulled back to say, "So stunning, mesmerizing, gorgeously beautiful!"

Pink lips were pressed against hers before the relieved smile even had a chance to form on her lips and she sighed into the kiss, willingly letting the blonde's tongue in to caress hers. She felt fingers in her hair again, playing with some strands, lightly tugging at them. Tearing her lips away, she teased, "You cannot make them long again by pulling them down."

"Oh no, I don't want them long." She looked at the brunette, vehemently shaking her head. "This. Is. Perfect", Arizona assured her between kisses and added with a grin, "Now I know why everybody asked me if I had seen you yet."

"Yeah, your mom was a little, uhm, shocked. Tim liked it from the start and so do I."

"Me too. Like, really, ___really_ like it. You look so hot, Calliope."

Knowing that the look Arizona had right now could easily turn into something very heated and passionate, Callie cleared her throat. "So, what's this all about?", she asked and waved her hand through the air.

"Right!", Arizona froze for a second. She'd completely forgotten about her plan and all it had taken for her brain to shut down was her lover's new haircut. Any other moment, she would have laughed at herself, but seriously, it wasn't that funny right now. "So, remember this with me, would you? Almost five years ago, when I turned fifteen, you told me that you loved me for the first time. Your first 'I love you' was said right here and ever since then, this place became more special to me than it already was. We spent so many times hiding in here and talking when we were kids, cuddling and kissing when we were older and a couple. But your first I love you trumps everything and I will never, ___never_ forget that day. And today, I am standing here, hoping to make it a day we both will never forget." She got the little deep red jewel case out of the pocket of her light jacket and held it with both hands. "Calliope Torres, I know you already asked me to marry you, but I... you know, in French you don't really say 'I miss you'. You say 'tu me manques', which is more like '___You are missing from me_'. And I love that. Because that is what I feel when you are not around. You are a part of me, you are essential to my being. You are like a necessity, a very important organ and when you are not with me, I can't function. I don't ever want to feel that way. I don't ever want to feel like I cannot function. I don't ever want you to be missing from me." Pausing for just a few seconds to lock eyes with the Latina and to opened the case. "I love you and I want to spend my life with you forever. Will you marry me?"

She felt the tears spilling from her eyes and she bit her bottom lip. The Robbins'-women sure had a way to touch her heart with their words. Not trusting her dry throat to be able to form any words, she nodded. Her hand was shaking even more than when she'd asked Arizona to marry her as the blonde slid the ring onto her finger.

"I love you" she whispered.

"I love you too", Callie rasped and leaned down to capture her lover's lips in a slow, sensual kiss. She felt the case hitting the wooden floor of the tree house as a pale hand had to let go of it so she could cup her cheeks and hold her close. Tan fingers laced with golden locks and right that moment, everything around them faded away. It was just the two of them, illuminated by soft lights from the chains as the world stopped spinning and time stood still.

Encouraged by the brunette's hands, Arizona pulled the Latina impossibly closer to deepen the kiss, both equally moaning and sighing into the kiss as tongues met for the second time.

Breaking the kiss when her body screamed for air – something Arizona clearly had the upper hand in due to her well trained swimmer lungs – she couldn't keep her eyes away from the blonde. The light danced over the smaller body and made her hair glow in the dim light.

"Don't you want to look at the ring?", Arizona asked.

"I want to, but I can't take my eyes off of you", the Latina replied with a cheesy grin and lifted her hand. Holding it into the light, she saw the encased emeralds and depending on the angle of her finger, they shimmered a darker or brighter shade of green. "It's perfect", she whispered. It was beyond perfection, but the words were just missing in her mind.

"I got you something else", the blonde chirped and reached for the shoe box at her feet. Lifting the lid, she grinned sheepishly at her fiancée. Nodding down to the brunette's feet, she said, "Because you can't keep walking around in these shoes."

"But they are-"

"Telling a story, I know, I know", Arizona cut her off and rolled her eyes. Callie loved her chucks way too much to throw a pair away, even when they were noticeably done for good, and she was even more persistent of not throwing away her green chucks. "But, they are also falling apart and I thought, that those", she looked down at the green shoes once again, "could have told the story of our relationship and these", she took the new pair out of the box and held it between them, "could tell the story of our engagement and maybe our marriage?"

Full lips curled up into a radiating smile as she grabbed the pair of new chucks out of the blonde's hand and slipped out of her shoes, using the other foot as help.

Laughing at the fast change of heart her lover had had, she watched when first Callie's left shoe was thrown out of the house, soon followed by the right one and the Latina hastily slipped into the new pair. "You know, you didn't have to throw them out. We could have taken them with us tomorrow."

"I don't want the engagement-shoes to get jealous of the relationship-shoes just because they don't have that much of a story to tell, yet", Callie reasoned.

Head thrown back as her bubbly laughter filled the small space once again, Arizona tried not to choke as she said, "And here I thought I was the dork in the relationship."

"You can be the dork tomorrow, let me have today?"

"You can have every day you want, as long as you spend them with me", the blonde sighed and guided the Latina to the sleeping bags to sit down with her. "So, what's my dork yearning for right now?"

"Pineapples and a kiss."

Picking up one of the chocolate-covered pieces of fruit, Arizona put it into the brunette's mouth but was not fast enough to pull her fingers away. With her thumb trapped between plump lips and a tongue circling the digit, her heart started to beat faster in her chest and she thought the air around had suddenly gotten pretty warm. "Callio-" Cut off by those luscious lips that tasted now a mixture of fruit, chocolate and her lover, Arizona let herself be pushed onto the covered ground, enjoying every sensation the Latina sent through her body. When tan fingers slipped beneath her shirt and a mouth left a trail down to her pulse point, she couldn't help but think that everything was perfect.


	39. We are the lucky ones Part 4

When they'd left Seattle only five days after they showed up unannounced at the Robbins' front door, it had been raining, pouring even, mirroring the mood of their goodbyes. Although all of them knew deep down that it was never going to be a goodbye forever, it was hard to watch the girls leave over and over again. The last time they'd left they'd been girlfriends and now they left as an engaged couple, a telltale sign that time was not waiting for anyone of them to catch up. Two sets of parents had to face that their daughters were growing up, whether they liked it or not.

The minute their plane had touched down in Miami though, and Callie had watched her blonde lover holding her face into the sun, it had vanished every sad emotion she could possibly have had. She had been looking forward to a whole week of uninterrupted time with Arizona. The image of Arizona in a bikini on the beach still left her mouth-watering, adding sun rays playing with the slightly tanning skin of the blonde's body, and Callie was done for. A smile took over as she remembered how miraculous the dimpled woman had looked in a light blue dress on their dinner date at the restaurant, golden locks dancing in the wind. Arizona with no clothes at all, well that was a sight she could never get enough of. And of course, they'd made good use of their time, knowing that as soon as they would be back, theses, term papers and lots of books would be waiting for them.

Not today though. They were back, sure, but right now Callie felt thrown back in time. It was like being sixteen again, cheering for her ___girlfriend_ from her spot on the bench in the swimming stadium. Now though, she was cheering for her fiancée, from a similar spot on a similar bench in the local swimming stadium of Cambridge and Arizona had just exited the shower, her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail and the trademark blue swimsuit hugging every curve of that heavenly matured body. She hadn't competed in years, unlike the brunette, only gone to practices to loosen up and get rid of the college stress. Today though, when the call came in and despite the fact that they just got back, she practically jumped at the chance to compete. And damn, Callie thought she should make a rule of her girl running around in this bathing suit more often. Or in a bikini. Or naked.

The Latina tried to keep her mouth from falling open. She knew she was already goggling, so she should at least try to make it less obvious.

"Hey, did you see her?", the voice of a girl behind her asked. "That blonde over there?"

"Yeah, why?", another voice reached her ear, undoubtedly female as well.

"Have you seen her compete before? I'm watching my sister's team compete almost every time and… I've seen her in lab class a couple of times, she always leaves before I go in, but I've never seen her swimming before", girly voice number one mused.

That got Callie's attention, realizing now that they were definitely talking about Arizona.

"No. But I don't watch the team members as intensely as you do since I am not interested in girls", female voice number two answered. "Maybe she's a new member, or a substitute? You know Rose is still on vacation and Melinda is attending her sister's wedding."

"For not being interested in the team, you know a lot about their lives, Macy", girl number one teased. "Seriously though, have you seen her before?"

The other girl mumbled a response Callie could not understand, and frankly, it was something ___she_ was not interested in. A stranger showing interest in her fiancée though, that was a whole different thing. That was her life, her love, her everything. So she turned around. "Do you mean the blonde in the dark blue swimsuit?", she asked, playing dumb.

"Yeah, do you know her?"

Brown eyes studied the girl. She was cute, pretty even, with her light brown eyes and the bangs falling into her face, but she didn't come even close to Arizona's beauty. "Yeah", she replied with a smug grin.

"She's hot. That body? Mhmm, to die for."

"I know exactly what you mean", Callie played along with her. If anybody would know, it was her. She had the pleasure to feel that body writhing underneath her, grinding against her, riding her fingers. She definitely knew that Arizona's body was something a sculptor could work in marble. "Arizona is smoking hot."

"Oh, do you have her number? Since you seem to know her..?"

She turned to face the water as the sound of the whistle echoed off the walls, just in time to see her lover getting ready to dive in. The shrieking noise filled the stadium a second time, and inside her everything felt on edge when Arizona's body broke the surface of the water. She had felt that the blonde had been nervous, though she wasn't out of shape by any means, she was not used to the pressure of swimming against others anymore, even if it was only as a member of a team of five. Her time counted as well. And Callie had managed to calm her down – even if it was just a little bit – before she had to leave the locker and everybody got ready. But now there had been no sign left of the blonde's tension. Not being the last of the round helped and she knew that when Arizona would look to her right and see that she was definitely faster, it would boost her some more.

"So, do you have it?", the girl's voice brought her back to reality.

"I am sorry, what?" It happened again. Just a little thought about her blue-eyed fiancée could make her zone out and let the world be the world.

"I asked if you had her number. Arizona's, you said her name was Arizona. Can you give me her number?"

"Uhm, yeah… yeah, I do have her number", Callie smiled.

"So, can I have it?" Already holding out her phone so the brunette could type it in, she looked surprised when her hand was politely shoved out of the way.

Grinning, the Latina's eyes flickered from the girl she remembered was Macy to the other and she pursed her lips. "I would give it, but it's a waste of energy and time."

"I don't think that's your decision to make", the girl answered, clearly not amused by the brunette's antics. "So, her number?"

For a moment, Callie turned around again to see how Arizona was doing in the water. Right this moment, she was second and the first one was really fast, yet not far away and there were still three more tracks to go. The Latina was sure Arizona was already kick starting the muscles and strength in her legs and arms. "Believe me", she said and looked at the girl again, "you don't stand a chance."

"Ha, you don't know that, a girl can try", she replied, very convinced of herself. "Maybe she'll discover that she really missed out on the good stuff in the years of being with men."

Callie had to bite her bottom lip to keep the laughter inside. She could never imagine Arizona with a man, that was just too funny, ridiculous even. One, the blonde was still very positive that all men except for her father, her brother and Liam had cooties and two, the gazes the blonde still gave her, no chance in hell that Arizona was attracted to men.

"What's there to laugh about?", the girl asked. Apparently, Callie had not managed to suppress the chuckles "Have you seen me? I am hot."

Nodding and humming a low "Mhmm", brown eyes flashed up at the girls and she asked, "Have you seen me?"

"Yeah, why?"

"She's my fiancée and as a matter of fact, I do know that you don't stand a chance." Holding up her left hand and showing off her engagement ring, she laughed as both girls turned beet red and Macy told her friend to shut up. She refocused on the competition just in time to see Arizona make the final turn and like a fish in the see, getting faster and faster and when she finally touched the edge of the pool, she was still running second place, but she did really good and Callie could see the proud smile glued to pink lips as she climbed out of the water. Coyly waving in the blonde's direction, she got up from the bench and turned around one last time to look at the girls before she walked away.

Making her way past the other team and the coach and finally reaching Arizona, she tapped the blonde's shoulder, not expecting her to spin around. The moment she did though, pale wet arms flung around her tan neck, pulling their bodies flush together and making the front of the Latina's shirt all damp. "Arizonaaaa", she whined. "You got me all wet!"

"Wouldn't be the first time today, Calliope", Arizona whispered seductively while tangling her fingers in Callie's hair. Ever since the brunette cut her curls so they stopped shortly above her shoulder, it got even worse and she couldn't stop her hands from brushing through the silky tresses.

She felt the blood rush into her cheeks and looked away, grumbling, "Not what I meant", with an actual pout on her lips. "You all set to go?"

"Actually, I want to try individuals."

The brunette's pout morphed into a smile. She hadn't seen the competitive flash in those baby blue orbs in a long time and just like in their teenage years, it made her all tingly and excited. "Think you can manage that, slow poke?", she teased.

"Slow poke?" The blonde's mouth hung open in acted hurt. "You did not just call me slow poke!"

"Sounded like it", Callie shrugged, very aware of the fact that teasing the blonde right now would only spur her on even more.

"I give you slow poke", Arizona told her with narrowed eyes. Had Callie not seen her bringing her team into a very good position? It surely fueled the fire inside her. She had forgotten how good it felt to swim not just for fun but to actually see that she could beat others in the water. "Coach Rackers? I want to try", she announced.

"Perfect", the woman smiled. "You'll take Melinda's spot at freestyle, think you can do that?"

"Please...", she brushed it off. No one beat her in freestyle. Turning back to her fiancée, making sure the Latina knew she accepted her challenge, she asked, "What do I get if I end up first, Calliope?"

"My undying love?", she tried, already knowing that Arizona would never settle for that deal since she already had her love.

"Ha, yeah, nice try, love."

"Well, what do you want?"

Leaning in and bringing their bodies together again, she swept a few chocolate brown locks behind the Latina's ear and whispered, "You, tonight, in our bathtub, all naked and soapy."

"But we're meeting up with Adds and Teds for dinner tonight and you know how they never wanna leave our apartment", the brunette reasoned. "Tomorrow."

"Nope, tonight", Arizona insisted. "Make them leave. After our interrogation, of course." They had made a few quick calls between Seattle and Cambridge to see if their friends were still okay and furthermore, if they were more than just friends by now. But as it seemed, the redhead as well as Teddy kept her mouth shut, not giving away the slightest bit of a hint. "Or they could stay and learn", she added with grin.

At that, Callie laughed. She knew Arizona would never want to share what they had, not their love, not their intimate moments, it was the emptiest threat she'd ever heard. "Don't push it, Arizona."

"Don't dare me, Calliope." She pulled the Latina down for a hard kiss and sucked a full bottom lip into her mouth only to let it go with a soft 'pop'. "Don't dare me", she whispered again before she backed off with a smug grin, knowing that Callie would now do everything to get rid of their friends after a decent amount of time filled with dinner, interrogation and laughs.

xxx

Later that night, Arizona had just done the laundry and jumped into a pair of fresh jeans when she thought she'd heard a faint noise. But she wasn't really sure so she kept brushing her hair until...

"Hey Arizona!", Callie called out from the spot behind the stove were she was stirring the sauce as she heard the loud banging coming from the door. "Can you open the door? The girls are here."

"Sure", came the response of the blonde who emerged from their bedroom and walked up behind the Latina to place a chaste kiss in her neck. "Everything for you, my love", she whispered and then made her way to the door, opening it with a swing and a dimpled smile plastered on her face. "Ladies... please come in." Blue eyes studied the 'couple', paying special attention to their laced fingers. "Everything okay?"

"We're perfect", Addie replied with a wide grin and stepped into apartment 502 for what felt like the millionth time since they all moved here. "Hey Cal- whoa! What the hell happened in Seattle?", she asked, her hand unmistakably pointing at the brunette's short locks.

Turning her head to look at her red-haired friend, Callie also did not miss the joined hands and asked instead of answering, "What the hell happened in Cambridge?" Immediately though, the two jumped apart, averting their eyes. Apparently, almost two weeks were enough to change some things.

"So, what happened to your hair?", Teddy asked, breaking the silence and changing the topic. "And what is that thing on your finger?"

Again, a radiating smile appeared on the Latina's face as she held up her left hand. "Well, I have this amazing girl who agreed to marry me on our anniversary, what I think you already know. And this amazing girl, who is also my fiancée, is really gorgeous and thoughtful and although I already proposed, got me a ring and asked me to marry her." Practically beaming at the blonde, she swooned, "She got me emeralds."

"You just always have to be the perfect couple, don't you?", the redhead mumbled. She had always looked up to their relationship. It was a bond full of love and trust and they just fit like two pieces of a puzzle and she wanted that too. She'd never felt like this with one of her former boyfriends. And with Teddy, she felt like she was completely way over her head and too insecure to make any further steps. "And your hair? Walked into a barber shop on accident?"

"No", Callie laughed and shook her head. "I just felt like doing something adventurous."

"You just felt like doing something Arizona's way", Addie grinned.

"Arizona's way?", three voices asked in unison, making everybody laugh.

"Yeah. See, usually, you're thinking things through, planning everything from the very first to the last second. That's Callie's mature, reasonable way." She turned to the blonde and said, "You on the other hand, you follow your guts. Decisions are made spontaneous and you usually don't out weigh the pros and cons. That's Arizona's way."

"Is there an Addie's and a Teddy's way, too?", Arizona wanted to know? She couldn't help but agree with her friend's words, though.

"Addie's way isn't hard to make out", the other blonde laughed. "Just say what crosses your mind, be blunt and very straight with everyone and by doing so, be the most unfiltered you can be."

Raising her eyebrow, the redhead looked at Teddy, pointing her finger at the skinny blonde. "If that is my way, yours is-"

"Girls girls", Callie laughed. "No fights inside this apartment or you're not going to get dinner."

"We brought dessert, by the way", Teddy announced, wiggling her eyebrows. "Mousse au chocolat."

Licking her lips, Arizona asked, "Can we skip dinner and go straight to dessert?"

"You're just going to be hungry in the middle of the night if you skip dinner, babe", Callie reminded her. She'd stopped counting after something like that had happened for the fifth time.

"But, Calliope, it's mousse au chocolat", she whined. "Just one spoon and-"

"Teds... help?", the Latina asked and laughed at the blonde's pout when her friend put the dish with the sweet sin into the fridge. "Stop with the face, Arizona. Dinner is almost ready so would you please set up the table?"

"I'll help ya", Addie said immediately and went to get the cutlery, not knowing what was needed for tonight. "What's for dinner?"

"Pasta. We didn't get the chance to get anything else, because somebody competed in individuals today and got all excited when she won, so she jumped straight into the next competition." Though her words could easily be mistaken as blame, her voice was laced with so much proud, she thought she was going to burst.

"Well, somebody is just peeved because this somebody here, won the challenge although that somebody over there called her a slow poke", Arizona bickered back, meaning it just as lovely as the Latina.

"Should we leave?", Addison asked, knowing very well, that her friends challenges most of the time ended in something very private and more importantly something, she did not want to witness.

When the redhead and Arizona left the other two alone to set up the table a few feet away, Teddy stepped up next to the Latina. "It looks really good, I like it."

"Pardon?"

"Your hair", she smiled. "Suits you."

"Thanks. Arizona loves it", Callie answered.

"Oh, I bet she does. Her eyes never left you, I am inclined to say that it's gotten even worse than before." Her own pools of blue eyes drifted off and finally locked on the redhead who caught the coy glance. "She's right, you know? You are the perfect couple."

"No, we're not", the brunette disagreed.

"You are. You may not see it, cause you think you argue like every normal couple. You think you even fight, but you also solve your problems without making a mountain out of a dust speck or turning your apartment into a war zone", she sighed. "Believe me, I watched my parents fight for years and I fought my own battles with Henry from the start, I know what I am talking about. You are the perfect couple." Looking at the friends laughing around the table, she found Arizona eyes snaking over the Latina's body. "She loves you so much, everybody can see it."

"Uhm, thanks, I guess? But it's also work. We both have our moments... But then there are moments when I think I can't love her any more than I already do and then she goes all out and surprises me with a ring and new chucks."

"Yeah", the blonde agreed.

"So, what happened while we were gone? You two look... closer?"

"We talked, a lot. We talked for almost twenty hours and then fell asleep on Addie's bed. With our clothes on. Nothing happened", she added quickly when she saw brown eyes boring wholes into her brain. "I- we- when I woke up, her head was lying on my chest."

"So, you're together now?"

"Kinda, I guess", Teddy replied, kneading her fingers and sucking in her own lip, a technique she always used to prevent herself from chewing on her fingernails, because that was just not sexy.

"How can you 'kinda' be together?"

"I don't know Callie. I am... after Henry... with him, it all went so terribly wrong. Like, out of a Hollywood-relationship-drama wrong, and he wasn't even the first who cheated on me", she sighed.

Callie knew the story. She had been there for every teardrop the blonde had shed after Henry had told her that he'd been with another girl for two weeks already and that he was breaking up with her. It had broken the boney girl's heart and she'd moped around for a few weeks. That was a little over nine months ago, though.

"I thought he loved me."

"I know you did", the brunette gave her a sympathetic smile. She'd thought he loved her, too. Letting go of the spoon and turning down the heat of the burner, she faced her friend after checking if her lover and Addie were still busy – or more like pretending to be busy. "I know he hurt you badly, but, he's not worth any of your thoughts – anymore. You are a great girl, Teddy. I mean, you must be, right? There has to be a reason that you and I are friends." Nudging the blonde's hips, her smile grew wider. "But, for God's sake, you have only this one life. You have to open your heart again and start loving again. Addie's not gonna bite your head off and she's sure not going to cheat on you. So I'd say that you just go for it if you like her."

"I like her. A lot", she admitted, her eyes finding the tall girl again. "It's just weird. I've never liked a girl that way before. What if it goes wrong? What if we interpret more than there actually is?"

"There's always a first time, for almost everything. And you won't find out unless you try. Do you think Arizona and I woke up one day, thinking 'let's be a couple'?"

Laughing, the blonde shook her head. "No, but that's only because I know your love story, which is still freaking worth to make it into a Disney-movie. Girl meets girl, girl helps girl, girls become friends, girls count to three and kiss, girls fall in love, girls become a couple, get engaged, get married, start a family and live their perfect lovey dovey life."

"Now you're just being crazy", the Latina joined Teddy's laughter.

"Hey Cal, did Teddy tell you how she told me to shut the fuck up?", Addie asked, interrupting the little catching up of the two friends.

"That does not sound like her, at all", Callie replied and watched Teddy who blushed instantly. "You did?"

"No. Not like that. She was just being her annoying self", she teased, "and I needed her to be serious, for once in her life."

"I can be serious", the redhead defended herself.

"Yeah, only when you have to, though", Arizona came up behind her friend, pinching her sides and making Addison screech. "Case in point."

"That was just mean, Arizona", Addie growled, but the blonde just shrugged her shoulders.

"So, why was Addie being her usual pain in the ass?", Callie wanted to know. She felt Arizona melding her front against her back and leaned into the warm embrace, smiling as her fiancée tucked a few loose curls behind her ear. It was definitely a negative side to the new haircut, all those damn locks falling into her face all the time, but it was so worth it.

"I asked her if she liked me."

"No! If you tell this story, tell it right", Addie demanded. "She asked if I liked kissing her."

"Ooh, straight to the point, Teds", Arizona smiled. She had her arms wrapped around the brunette's mid-section and drew lazy circles over her stomach. If they were alone, she would ask why Callie had said that dinner was ___almost ready_, when the sauce was still simmering on the stove, but she knew that the Latina had just wanted to have five minutes to talk to Teddy. "What did you say, Adds?"

"She said 'yep'", Teddy replied, rolling her eyes. "And when I asked her if she liked not only kissing me, but ___me_... me, she said it again. 'Yep.' Who the hell says 'yep' to a question like that?"

"You should have seen her face when I said yep a third time to her question if I was staying at the dorm because of her." Noticing the glares of her friends, she added, "In my defense, I was trying to get ready and I wanted to look amazing, 'cause Teddy had agreed to let me take her out for dinner. And I needed to look fabulous!"

"You looked fabulous with the gloss on your lips", Teddy mumbled. "Anyways, after the third 'yep'-"

"She lost it", the redhead laughed. "She practically yelled at me 'Stop yepping at me!'"

"Well, it worked, didn't it?", the blonde asked, unsuccessfully trying to cover her blush with her hands.

"Oh, it sure did. I turned around, our eyes met and then I kissed her. Like, really kissed her", Addie admitted, her cheeks turning red as well. Her being shy didn't last long though, it never lasted long. Addison was simply not one to be shy, hence all the mortifying stories she could talk about without feeling embarrassed. "And then I pushed her against the desk, effectively trapping her between the wood and myself and asked her if that was better. She only had the chance to say 'much' before I kissed her again", she grinned.

"How come you can talk about it so nonchalantly?", Callie asked, "and Teddy looks more and more like a tomato?"

"Must have been the best kiss of her life", the redhead shrugged and grabbed a teaspoon to test if the sauce was ready. "I think dinner is finally ready", she quipped and walked over to the table. "Are you coming? I'm starving."

Callie looked at their friend and shook her head before decanting the noodles. "She's-",

"Impossible-", Arizona cut her off.

"Just being Addie", Teddy stated, walked over to her friend – or girlfriend? - and sat down beside her, taking her hand like it was the most normal thing on earth.

xxx

„So", Arizona started, blue eyes locked on her red-haired friend as she wriggled her eyebrows, "tell me, how far did you go?" Teddy and her fiancée were currently engaged in a very excited talk about muscle structures and its necessity for the body of the vertebra. Not really something she wanted to discuss while being on break, but she got why Callie wouldn't shut up about it. The Latina still had this weird obsession with bones, muscles and tendons. Admittedly, she was good in everything regarding that part of the human anatomy, she could tell every name of all different bone years ago, just because she'd spent hours reading about them and they weren't even in college then, not to mention med school. Sometimes, the blonde thought it was a little scary or crazy, but then again, it was Callie and she'd always been like that. And in Teddy, the brunette had a friend who shared that same passion. Still, she'd rather use the spare time grilling her best friend about the relationship status of her and the other blonde since that was still a question to be answered.

"What do you mean, how far did I go?", Addie asked back, slightly confused. They'd had dinner – which had been amazing by the way – and tried to catch up as much as possible about what was going on in Seattle, how the Robbins' and the Menkens' had reacted to their engagement, purposely avoiding the one topic Arizona wanted to know all about, though.

Hopping onto one of the bar stools across from her friend, Arizona glanced over to the other girls before nodding in their direction. "Not you, ___you. You _as in you and Teddy. How far did you go?"

"Oh! Well, just from our dorm to your place, nice walk, about fifteen minutes", the redhead grinned. She knew what the blonde wanted to know, she just liked playing dumb and by doing so, playing with Arizona.

"Oh, come on, Red. You know what I'm talking about. Don't give me that shit." Digging the teaspoon into her second helping of mousse au chocolat, the blonde hummed in pleasure as her taste buds ignited once again.

"Well, we kissed, and that's it", Addie shrugged. There wasn't anything to talk about, yet. She would never confess it, but she was nervous too. She'd never been one to be nervous around people she was attracted to, until Teddy and these new feelings for her roommate had showed up out of the blue, and that scared the crap out of her.

"That's not it. There was some cuddling, Teddy said that already", Arizona disagreed with her friend, swinging the spoon through the air. "Besides, you did sleep on one bed."

"Yes. ___On _my bed. ___On _the sheets, on the blanket with our clothes on", Addie replied and rolled her eyes before looking over to Teddy. "Ya know, even if I would find the courage, I don't even know what to do, how to do it."

"How to do it?" Brow furrowed in concentration as the blonde was trying to get what the other young woman was trying to say. "It... ___it_?"

"Yes", she sighed. "It's not... it's Teddy we're talking about, right? She's special. Kind and loving. She's... Henry broke her and now she doesn't really trust people anymore, which is already hard to witness when you are just her friend. But, what if I mess this up? You know me, I can be bold and unfiltered and I say what I think. That's just me. And I act how I feel, so what if this is just a fling and it will run its course in a few weeks and Teddy is left heartbroken again?" The last low words had left the redhead's lips when another stolen glance towards Teddy was made.

Placing her – from the Miami sun softly tanned – hand on her friend's arm, Arizona looked straight into grayish eyes. "How far do you want to go, then?", she asked and pursed her lips.

"Seriously? I'm giving you all this sensitive stuff and you're only interested in how much and how fast I want to jump Teddy's bones?", she hissed.

"Well, yeah", Arizona laughed, earning a death glare from the redhead. "I'm sorry, I was just messing with you. I think, I've never seen you like this with anyone before."

"Because I couldn't mess it up so much before", Addie groaned. "If it was over, it was over. There was nothing that tied us together anymore afterwards, ya know? When it didn't work, it wasn't meant to work and I was okay with it." She wasn't one to cry much when a relationship came to an ending. But then again, she'd never truly be in love. Yes, she liked her boyfriends, had a crush on them, but when she compared it to what Callie and Arizona had... she'd never had that with anybody. "But with Teddy being Callie's best friend and her being the love of your life and you being my best friend, I'd still be in contact with Teds, even if I'd leave the dorm room. There is so much at risk here." Letting out a breath she didn't know she had been holding in while rambling, she sipped on her water. "God, I wish it wasn't that complicated."

"Make it less complicated and talk", Arizona suggested. Though they'd assured that they had been talking for hours on end, apparently, it wasn't all out in the open. "Tell her how you feel, as hard as that is for you", she winked, "and tell her about your worries. Maybe she has the same, maybe she can make yours go away. Maybe you can be scared together. Anyways, the way she's still watching you, you must have done something right while we were gone."

Ignoring the last sentence of the blonde, Addison asked, "So, how do I do it? If or when I do it, I mean."

"You're asking me? You're the one that had sex with way more than one person." Scooping the last bits of her dessert from the plate, Arizona didn't dare to look at the redhead, knowing that she had been exaggerating – a little bit. But she honestly didn't know what to tell her friend. Should she give her sex advices? Was Addison really asking for it?

"Way more?", Addie asked and raised her brows, not believing the words the blonde had just said to her. "I had three and I am in my early twenties. It's not like I was busy being a whore throughout my whole time in college and high school."

"Two more than I had", she countered, dimples popping deeply into her cheeks, loving the fact that she only had been intimate with the only one the wanted to be this close with.

"You don't count. You're both practically living in your perfect little relationship-bubble since you've met. It's cute and everything, but we can't all find the one we're meant to be with at the first try." She looked once again over to where Teddy was sitting, noticing the excitement in the blonde's attitude while she was talking to Callie. The way the blonde tugged her hair behind her ear, the way she gesticulated with her hands while probably talking about the human's heart had her mesmerized.

"What if Teddy is yours?", the blonde mused. Of course she hadn't missed the dazzled look in the redhead's eyes.

"What if she's not?"

"What if she is?", Arizona rebutted when her friend was barely halfway through her sentence, her words overshadowing the rest of it. "I guess to find out you have to try." Taking the plate in her hand, she lifted it to her mouth to lick off the remnants of the delicious dessert. Once done, she licked her lips and hummed an appreciative "Mhmm."

"You had to do that, right? Did you know that that is what dishwashers are made for?", Addison joked. "You don't have to clean everything with your tongue."

With a wicked smile on her face, Arizona bit into her bottom lip – sharp – before the words could leave her mouth. She leaned over to her friend so she could hear her whisper, "Some things need to be cleaned with my tongue."

"OH GROSS! Arizona!", the redhead cried out pretty loud, making the two girls at the dinner table look at them. "Why did you have to say that?"

"'Cause it's fun to watch your face", she laughed. "And beside that, you'll be in the same position once you and Teddy get over the nerves."

"You two okay here?", came Callie's voice from behind Arizona as she and Teddy had walked up to the breakfast bar. Looking at her friend, she noticed the blushed cheeks. "Why is Addie's face all red? And why did you have to scream and wake the whole apartment building?"

"Your girl had to say something I didn't want to know." And she would not repeat the blonde's words. "You two finished going all out on the medicine we don't have a clue about yet?", she teased.

"Will medicine ever be finished?", Teddy grinned. "But we stopped talking about it." She walked around and sat down next to her roommate. Glancing sideways, her eyes found Addie's and she smiled at her. She wanted to kiss her but didn't know how the redhead felt about it in front of their friends. Though it wasn't a secret, talking about it and actually doing it were like the two sides of a coin – really different. "Addie?"

"Mhmm?"

Leaning in, she placed a chaste kiss on the redhead's cheek and blushed immediately when she heard the 'Aaaw' coming from their friends.

"Look how cute they are", Arizona grinned, subconsciously leaning to the left against the Latina's warm body and wrapped her arms around her waist.

"We're not cute. We're hot", Addison stated instantly. "Right, Teddy? We're hot."

"We are?"

She turned around so she could look into the big blue eyes of her roommate. When the blonde did not move or flinch, she closed the gap and captured soft lips in an even softer kiss. "We are", she breathed against Teddy's mouth when they parted. "We definitely are." A little surprised when the other girl decided to pull her in for another, deeper kiss, Addison soon relaxed, finally knowing that Teddy was okay with it, that they could go from here to anything they wanted and felt. Her heart fluttered in her chest and she had to admit, that it was the first time she understood what Arizona had been talking about all these years. Now she could only hope that they would not mess it up and ruin the perfect little circle of friendship they had built over the years.

"You know we are still here, don't you?", the brunette asked after clearing her throat.

"Shove it, Callie. I had to watch you and Arizona sucking faces more times than I can count", Addison said, not even looking at her friend.

"You were always free to go", Arizona chimed in. With her face now mere inches away from the Latina's neck, she could breathe in the scent that was purely her fiancée. She turned her head to nuzzle her nose into the crock of her neck, short dark brown curls tickling her skin.

"Okay okay, we're going", Addie said and stood up.

"She didn't want to throw you out", Callie stated.

"I didn't?", the blonde asked jokingly as she disentangled herself from her lover's body, earning a stern glare from brown eyes. "Okay, I didn't."

"We're still going to leave you two love birds alone."

"You mean, so you two love birds can be alone?", Arizona asked, one eyebrow quirked in challenge.

"Yes!" Teddy and Addison exclaimed in unison, both wearing matching smiles.

"Hey, we're still on for girls night tomorrow, right?", the skinny blonde asked, her hand seeking out Addison's to intertwine their fingers.

"Definitely!", the brunette agreed. "Any suggestion what club we should hit this time?"

"Girls club!", Arizona burst in delight and clapped her hands. "Since we're all... ya know... since you're batting for this team now too." When she did not get a response, she added, "Oh come one, let's all doll up and dance until the morning comes. It's been ages since we-"

"It's been two weeks", Callie deadpanned. "But I would be up for it. You?"

"Yeah, me too", Addie agreed and Teddy nodded her head. "Okay, now that this is all set, we'll call tomorrow, okay?"

"Fine with me", the Latina assured, walking their friends to the door. "Have a good night."

"And don't do anything I wouldn't do!", Arizona yelled on her way to the bathroom. She was still getting her bath with Callie, since she had won the little game from earlier. "Night!"

"Night!", the new couple yelled back. Hugging Callie, they finally left, still holding hands and both grinning like fools. Love fools.

xxx

Entering the bathroom after she'd cleaned up the rest in the kitchen and living room, Callie saw that Arizona had already turned on the faucet, but the blonde was nowhere in sight. "Arizona?", she called out, knowing that she had to be somewhere in the apartment and that she probably was just getting their pajamas.

"Coming!", her lover yelled back and came running through the bathroom door just in time to see the Latina take off her shirt. "Hey, don't start the show without me." Teasingly tapping her fingers over tan skin up the brunette's spine, she smiled to herself when she saw the reaction of Callie's body. She loved that, even after all these years, she still had that effect on her fiancée.

"Are you just going to stare or will you strip too?", Callie laughed when Arizona stood frozen to the spot while she'd shed almost all her clothes, standing in the middle of their bathroom in only her bra and panties. Making the one step forward that was needed to close the distance between them, she let her hand slide up the blonde's arms and crawl under the sleeves of the button down shirt. "Need any help?"

When she saw the look in the Latina's eyes, Arizona gulped. Lust flashed over brown orbs, making them impossibly dark. She couldn't say a word, so she nodded and not a second later, she felt fabric being tugged at and buttons being undone. Fingers worked their way up her torso and a second later, the soft material was pushed off her shoulders and carelessly dropped onto the tiles to join Callie's clothes. Her bra followed soon, as well as her jeans and socks. Almost bare now too, her hand reached out to undo the brunette's bra, but Callie pushed her hand away.

"None of that today", she said with a soft smile, her hands moving to her back to unclasp her own bra. "You won, remember? You get the bath, the back rub and a massage. The only thing you need to do now is get in the tub." Snickering when the blonde got rid of her panties in lightning speed and climbed into the tub, she shimmied out of the last item of clothing as well.

"Where are you going?", Arizona wondered when the brunette turned around instead of joining her immediately. Blue eyes followed the Latina's every move until Callie switched off the light, letting utter darkness surround them. "Why'd you do that?"

"It's more relaxing." They'd taken a lot of baths with candles, never one without any light, though. But she'd recently found out that it was a really nice experience and a good way to truly relax. "Now, scoot forward so I can slip in behind you." She felt her way through the pitch black room, her hands guiding her past the basing and with the last step, her toe met the tiles of the encased bathtub.

"I can't even see you, Calliope", Arizona said, making sure that the brunette could hear the pouting in her voice.

Fingertips dancing over the edge of the tub and the water, Callie's fingers finally made contact with slick skin. "I'm right here", she whispered. Once she knew where the small body of her fiancée ended, she made her way into the hot water and molded her front against the blonde's back, with her legs on either side of the blonde's. Hearing the breath hitch in her lover's throat, she asked, "You okay there?"

"Perfect", Arizona rasped out. The brunette's hand glided graciously over her skin, making tingles spread throughout her whole body. It was exciting not the see those hands and only to feel where they were going next. It was different from the times when she'd closed her eyes, because right now, her blue eyes were still open. But even if she wanted to, she couldn't make out her hand in the darkness.

Cupping some water with her hands, she let it run down the blonde's front and repeated the act a couple of times as her brain gave her the memorized image of water running down perky breasts. Arizona's breathing evened out and she almost thought, her fiancée had fallen asleep, but then a soft groan interrupted the silence they'd been sitting in. "Good?"

"So good", she moaned. And when tan hands moved blonde strands aside and started to work on the knots on her neck, it got even better. "Oooh Goood, that's what heaven must feel like."

Not being able to hold back the light chuckles, Callie worked her thumbs just strong enough into the blonde's flesh and muscles. Soon after, more and more moans roared through the bathroom and Arizona tilted her head to guide Callie's hands where she wanted them. They acted so in tune, every little move practiced and brought to perfection over the years of love and being together.

She let her hands wander down the blonde's back, finding every sore spot on their way. Her ambition to learn everything about how the muscles and skeleton of the human body worked together really paid off in moments like these. By now, Arizona was putty in her hands. "Move with me", she whispered into the blonde's ear as she scooted a few inches and leaned backwards until her skin met the tub. She let her head rest against the wall, waiting for her fiancée to lean into her.

Hands trailing over strong thighs as Arizona followed the Latina's words until their bodies were flush together. She could feel the brunette's pebbled nipples against her back and it made her smile. "Thank you", she whispered."

"My pleasure", Callie hummed back as her fingers started to draw small patterns on a pale soapy shoulder. She was in awe of how soft Arizona's skin always was. Of course, she knew that the blonde had body lotion and everything, but it was just so incredibly soft. Closing her eyes, she let her hands trail down the front of her lover's body, fingertips caressing collarbones, the skin over the blonde's sternum and finally landed on her breasts. If anyone would ever ask her what kind of a girl she was, definitely boobs – more importantly, Arizona's boobs. They were perfect.

A gasp left her lips as Arizona felt wet fingers circling each pink bud and the areola beneath the surface of the water. Eyes fluttered close on their own accord and she pressed herself more into the body behind her.

Cupping her fiancée's right breast with her hand, the Latina continued to play with her left nipple until it got rock hard under her touch and a moan came from deep within the blonde's throat. She placed light kisses along the neck she'd previously massaged and when her lips found a throbbing pulse point, she sucked the flesh into her mouth. "Are you", she started before soothing the skin, "up for another challenge?"

"Hmm?", she asked, her mind too far gone to get the meaning of the brunette's words.

"A challenge", Callie stated. "I think since there was no way I could win the last one, it's only fair I get another try."

"What did you have in mind?", Arizona asked just as teeth graced the skin of her neck and another – louder – moan filled the room.

"I bet that I can get you ___that_ close to the edge without letting my hands touch anything else then your breasts and my lips, teeth and tongue on your neck. And then, when I finally touch you down there", she said, her hand moving down and almost making contact where she knew Arizona wanted it, but retreating before she actually touched her, "it's only a matter of seconds."

Laughing, Arizona turned her head. Though she couldn't see her lover, she just knew that Callie had a smug grin tugging at the corners of her lips. "And what if I win?"

"Then you can write your thesis on our bed without me making any comments about it.

"Tempting, but I want more", Arizona said. She was sure that, while Callie was really good at reading and playing her body, she could never push her that close to the edge of her climax by just touching her breasts. It never happened before, so why should it happen now?

"What do you want?"

"If I win, you're going to let me write the thesis on our bed ___and_ we'll watch every Disney movie, one each day, until we made it through my whole collection." She knew Callie couldn't see the devilish smile on her face, but in her eyes, she'd practically already won this challenge."

"Fine. But if I win, you're going to sit your cute little butt down at the desk without complaining about it ___and_ you're doing the laundry for three weeks." If Arizona would get two things out of her victory, so would she. "Deal?"

"Deal", the blonde smiled, sealing it with a soft kiss. Pulling away, she wanted to lean back against the Latina's body, but Callie was faster and pulled her in, hands groping her breasts as her back collided with the brunette's front. "You're cheating."

"How is this cheating? My hands didn't touch you anywhere they're not allowed, did they?"

Feeling the heat radiating from between her fiancée's legs, Arizona tried to focus on something else than the Latina's body or touches. That would have been a lot easier with the light on and she thought that Callie had – maybe, no, definitely – planned it from the start. Feeling kisses along her neck up to the spot behind her ear, she wanted to protest, but again, Callie beat her to it.

"It's still your neck, Arizona", she breathed out, stiffening her tongue to lick over the skin. She tasted a mixture of the bubble bath essence they were taking a bath in and the usual taste of Arizona. "Mhmm." Knowing that her lips distracted the blonde enough, she rolled two perfectly pert buds between her thumbs and forefingers, relishing in the deep intake of breath of the blonde.

As teeth sank a little deeper into the skin on her neck, Arizona yelped in surprise. "Don't leave marks", she warned, her brain almost too far gone, but the little bites had brought her back. She had trouble ignoring her lover's hands and mouth. Callie knew her body, knew every little spot of weakness, every erogenous zone she had.

The more she sucked, the more ragged Arizona's breathing became and when she pinched hard nipples, a loud moan bounced off the tiled walls. Grinning and moving her lips to the other side of the blonde's neck to give it the same attention, erect buds were pinched again and again.

"Fuck, Calliope", Arizona breathed out. Her body reacted to Callie's ministrations and there was nothing she could do to stop it from happening. She felt a surge of lust flood her body and crossed her legs as best as she could, hoping to stop the burning heat at her center. It didn't work. Of course, it didn't work. She wanted Callie to touch her, she needed it. But all the brunette did was leaving oh so heavenly marks on her neck and playing with her breasts.

"Giving up already?"

"N- n- no", she answered in a shaky voice. She really wanted to say yes, but she also wanted to win this challenge.

Grinning against the flesh she'd currently trapped between her teeth, she went back to kneading Arizona's full breasts. "You know, I really ___really_ love them. They were always perfect, and I've always loved them, but I think I love them just a tiny bit more since they got a little... bigger."

"Ugh", Arizona groaned when fingers dig into flesh, fingernails probably leaving crescent shaped marks. Her body was on fire and the hot water did nothing to soothe it. "Calliope..."

"Yes?"

"Please...", she begged. She wasn't ashamed of the begging part, she'd never been too shy to ask for more, but she had been holding back for a minute already. Maybe two, or even five? She didn't know. She'd completely lost track of time, all she could think about, all she could feel was her fiancée.

"You want to come?"

"Yes!" Although want was definitely the wrong word here. Need, that was more like it, or she was going to explode. "Touch me."

"I am touching you", Callie husked, knowing that the blonde was utterly at her mercy and loving it. Once again playing with Arizona's nipples to emphasize her words, she smiled at the groan that left pink lips.

"No, touch me here!", she exclaimed, taking one of the brunette's hands, practically tearing it away from her breast and shoving it between her legs.

"You know that you're going down, Arizona, right?"

"Yes. Don't care. Just make me come." The words rushed out of her mouth faster than she could comprehend them as her hips bucked up against the Latina's hand, searching for any kind of friction.

Caving in, Callie slid her hand deeper between pale slick legs and gasped as she was met with a slick wetness. She found the blonde's clit instantly and flicked her finger over it in tight circles. Once, twice, thrice and she felt a strong climax ripping through her lover's body as Arizona tensed up. The bucking of her hips stopped mid-movement and the moan that wanted to leave her mouth was cut off by the lack of air in her lungs.

Just as her body was coming down, she felt Callie stroke her bundle of nerves again, making another wave of pleasure rush through her. Falling back against the Latina's front when her body went limb, she opened her eyes only to find out that they were still surrounded by complete darkness.

"Told you I could get you there", Callie teased.

She couldn't talk since she was still trying to catch her breath and come to terms with the intense orgasm she had just experienced.

"Told you, a bath in the dark is more relaxing", she whispered, softly kissing the shell of the blonde's ear. "You okay?"

"I'm... relaxed."

"Good, 'cause we have to get out of here. The water is getting cold."

"I can't move", she groaned, making Callie laugh out loud. "It's not funny."

"It kinda is", she smiled. "Just let me stand up and get out, I'll help you, okay?"

"Just one more minute?", Arizona asked and turned around, not caring if water splashed over the edge of the tub. Lying on her stomach, she felt cool air hitting her back, but the minute she rested her head over the brunette's heart, it didn't matter anymore. Nothing else mattered. "I love you."

Finding her lover's face with the tips of her fingers, she softly trailed along the structure of Arizona's face before she placed it under her chin to lift her head. Whispering, "I love you too" as she leaned down, she captured pink lips in a loving kiss, both sighed into it and enjoying the quietness and darkness. "I still won this one."


	40. We are the lucky ones Part 5

"Calliope?", Arizona asked from her spot at the breakfast bar her feet dangling back and forth in the air. Her eyes had flickered between the Latina who was keeping herself busy making dinner for them and the open websites on the notebook for the last ten minutes.

"Hmm?", the brunette turned around and smiled instantly. Arizona had her chin propped up on her laced fingers, blue eyes beamed at her through the blonde's bangs. "What?"

"Do you think Teds and Adds will work out?" They were still on for girls night later and soon after dinner, they would both start getting ready, but she couldn't help but wonder about their friends.

"I don't know, honey. Maybe they will, maybe they won't. As long as it will be their decision, we can only be the best supportive friends and be there for them if it doesn't and if it does", Callie answered. She had asked herself the same question. But she trusted both of them that they would make the right decisions and talk, for God's sake, before they did something wrong. "What do you think about them?"

Searching her fiancée's chocolate brown eyes, she got lost in them for a second before she answered with a wide grin, "I think it would be awesome if they would end up together forever. But what's important is that they are happy."

Callie closed the little distance between the stove and the breakfast bar and leaned over the counter. "I love you", she breathed out and connected their lips before Arizona could answer.

"What's that taste?", Arizona asked confused when she pulled away. Smacking her lips, then licking them, she thought hard, trying to remember if she had tasted it before, but she came up empty. "What's for dinner?"

"Chili rubbed steaks and pan salsa", the Latina answered and laughed when she saw the blonde scrunch up her nose.

"No pasta?", she asked with a pout on her lips.

"We had pasta with Addie and Teddy yesterday", the brunette replied and moved back to the stove. Picking up a spoon, she scooped up some of the salsa. "Open your mouth", she ordered as she turned back to face her lover.

Willingly complying her fiancée's demand, Arizona's closed her eyes and waited with her mouth open for Callie to feed her. The growl that left pink lips when the salsa sauce came in contact with her taste buds was almost carnal.

"Good?", the Latina asked. It was always a little risky trying a new recipe with Arizona. Not that she was picky when it came to food, she just rather stuck to the meals she knew and liked. If Callie would do that though, they'd be eating pasta or pizza every day and that would not sate the itch when she wanted to cook.

"Good enough for me not to want pasta anymore. But I thought I smelled garlic bread..?" Trailing off and focusing back on the notebook in front of her, she opened another link, her eyes lighting up when yet another beautiful dress met her eyes.

"I swear you have the nose of a hound", Callie said and rolled her eyes. Arizona could not cook anything eatable to save her life, her nose though worked just perfect. "What are you doing there anyways?"

"Nothing. Just, uhm... some browsing, ya know? Nothing in particular."

"Uh huh..." Not believing the blonde, she walked around the counter and stopped behind her fiancée before she could close the link or click to another. "Wedding dresses?"

"I was just curious...", Arizona said in defense and expected the brunette to laugh at her. She knew it was ridiculous since they said they would wait, but a part of her didn't want to wait any more. When she felt Callie's hand over hers instead of the anticipated laugh and full lips pressed a chaste yet lingering kiss onto her neck, she relaxed a little. "You think it's stupid, don't you?"

"No. Not at all. It's cute. And it's just who you are", the Latina answered, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. It made her heart swell in her chest, knowing that she wasn't the only one who – apparently – couldn't wait to get married.

"I just want to know what's out there so I will look perfect for you", she mumbled into Callie's neck after she'd turned her face, hiding it against her lover's body. "And I can't wait to call you my wife."

"Fiancée is already not good enough anymore?", Callie teased. Her hands brushed along pale arms

"It is!" Of course it was enough. Arizona called herself pretty darn lucky that she had Callie and that the brunette loved her. "But then again, it's not. Does that even make sense?"

"Perfectly", the Latina assured her love. Lifting the blonde's face with a tan finger under her chin, she claimed pink lips in a long soft kiss. She felt delicate fingers tunneling in her short locks, nails lightly scraping her skull as she made and attempt to deepen the kiss and let her tongue sweep along Arizona's bottom lip. Time stood still when tongues met in a dance they kept practicing for years and both sighed into each other's mouth. Reluctantly ending the caresses of love when her lungs screamed for air, she smiled down at the blonde.

"Calliope?"

"Yes?", Callie said, startled by Arizona's voice.

"Where did you just go?", she teased, hugging the Latina tighter to her body. "Must have been a good place, I said your name three times."

"You did?" She hadn't heard anything. Her brain had taken her to possibilities of their future. Of course she wanted to get married rather today than tomorrow, though the reasonable part of her knew that it was better to wait until they knew which med school would want them and then get settled at the new place. She already dreaded the thought of moving again. Although it had been really easy with the moving company, she loved this place. This was their first home away from home and they'd made so many good memories here. And there was always the chance that they would not get into the same med school and that was even worse than moving.

"Hey", Arizona smiled at her and cupped her cheeks when she noticed that Callie was miles away again. "You kinda have your head in the clouds today, don't you?"

Inhaling the scent of the blonde's shampoo, she answered, "Yeah, I guess. Do you mind setting the table?"

"Nope." With a dimpled grin on her face, Arizona let go of the brunette and jumped off the stool. Instead of opening the cupboards though, she opened the freezer and tilted her head to the right side.

"Uhm, Arizona, last time I checked, we didn't keep our plates in the freezer", Callie laughed. She knew what Arizona was looking for, but she also had fun teasing her fiancée.

"I know that", the blonde countered. "I was just curious if we still have ice cream for dessert."

"Why do you always have to look for dessert before the actual dinner?"

"Because if we have dessert, I need to have some space left for it in my tummy. I'm not like Timmy who can eat and eat without getting full", she explained. She'd learned from the few times she had eaten way too much and ended up with cramps. Partly because Callie always served her camomile tea and partly because she really wasn't a fan of those cramps, but then again, who was? "I thought we still have some cookie dough ice cream."

"No, you had the last of it on our last movie night with Teds and Addie", the brunette reminded her and grinned at the memory. It had been like watching three monkeys fighting over the last banana. She had watched the whole scene for a few minutes and then stepped in. She'd grabbed the container and gave each of them a fair share of ice cream, calling them 'children' when handing them the plates. But at least it had made everyone happy and they had gone back to watching the movie in peace. "And you said you'd get new one.

"Oh right... damn", she huffed and closed the door of the freezer. Turning around to Callie, she grinned, "Well, I guess that leaves more space for garlic bread."

The Latina could only shake her head at the blonde's sentence. "Did you mean it when you told Red and Teddy to doll up tonight?", she asked while walking back to the hearth, checking their dinner which should be just about ready.

"Of course I did", Arizona replied, a wide smile plastered to her face and added with a wink, "So you better dress up and show me what you got or I might find someone at the club."

"Oh, I will", the brunette grinned mischievously and prepared each of them a plate, her mind drifting off to the one shirt she'd got during their days in Seattle, the one shirt Arizona hadn't seen yet.

xxx

Rounding the last corner on their way to the club, they could already see little groups of people talking, waiting, smoking. They'd parked their car not too far away, maybe a three to four minute walk, but Arizona was very eager to get inside, all because her fiancée would not let her take a look at what she was wearing under the sweater. "Do you see Teddy or Addie somewhere?", she asked. They had agreed to try out the new girls club tonight, so she found herself looking left and right, trying to see their friends.

"No", Callie answered, her arms pulling the fabric a little bit tighter around her body. It was an unusual cold night – it had rained all day - and she could not understand how Arizona did not shiver or complain about being cold since she was the one wearing really short hot pants – hot indeed – and a light jacket over the black tank top. It looked ___really_ nice, but it also looked ___really _freezing. "But we're still five minutes early."

"And Adds is still at least five minutes late", the blonde laughed. They kept joking about the redhead being paged or called into an emergency surgery and always showing up just in time or late. The only time their friend managed to actually be on time was for college classes, but even that took a few weeks to sink in. "Think she'll ever change?"

"To be honest, no. But I am glad that it's gotten better since she and Teddy became friends and roomies, even if the latter was pure coincidence." Pulling the zipper of her sweater even higher, she stepped closer to Arizona to shield her from the breeze. She was happy she'd chosen to go with a pair of skin tight black jeans. One, it went incredibly good with the new low cut green shirt Arizona had yet to see and two, it kept her warm. "How are you not freezing?"

"Uhm... you keep me warm", the blonde smiled, nuzzling closer into her lover's embrace. While Callie's body heat indeed kept her warm it was more the anticipation of her fiancée finally letting her see the new shirt. When the Latina had emerged from the bathroom, her upper body had already been hidden under the sweater and although she had tried more than just once to catch a glimpse, she'd ended up with being scolded for peeking.

"I keep the goose bumps away?", the brunette teased. She brought her lips to Arizona's ear and whispered, "I rather cause them later tonight." Her hands slid down her fiancée's back until they rested on the blonde's ass. Squeezing it just strong enough for Arizona to feel it, she grinned when she was rewarded with the wanted moan. Leaning down, Callie connected their lips in a tender kiss, only to be ripped out of their little bubble a few seconds later.

"You can't even wait a few minutes without getting all touchy and kissy now, can you?", Addison's voice hollered through the night and made them pull away from each other. "And we're not even late!"

"Yeah, how did you manage to be early?", Arizona grinned while hugging Teddy. "Did you threaten her?"

"Oh ha ha, Arizona", the redhead countered. "I have you know that I was the one all set and ready to go about half an hour before that one even decided what she should do with her hair."

"Not a chance that this is the truth", the blonde rebutted. She knew her best friend and if there was one thing you could always count on, it was Addie not knowing what to wear and what to do with her hair and because of that, being late.

"Sorry, but it's true", Teddy said. "It's really not easy, going to a girls club with you guys, I mean. You're sporting the perfect golden curls, Callie has all these gorgeous Latina genes, tan and pretty amazing short tresses and Addison's rocking her red hair like it's the best thing in the world. I need to up my game if I don't want to look like the shy girl from the last row in class."

"Aaw, come on Teds, you're beautiful", Callie smiled and put her left arm around the other blonde. When she looked at the small group of friends she could truthfully say that none of them looked like a little mouse or like they didn't belong together. They were different, but different did not mean bad or ugly.

"Yeah, you have to say that, you're my best friend", the skinny blonde said and averted her eyes to the ground.

"Nope, she's telling the truth. You're utterly beautiful", Addie agreed with Callie's words. And she meant it. Teddy's big eyes and the pretty smile had her hypnotized a couple of times a day. She even ran into a man on the street a few days ago just because she couldn't get Teddy's face out of her head.

"Thanks", the girl smiled. "Well, what are we waiting for?"

"Nothing", Arizona beamed, lacing her fingers with the Latina's and walking towards the club. "Paaaaaaaartyyy!"

"Okay, hold your horses, Blondie", Addie teased, which earned her a hard glare from her friend. "We're not even inside the club yet and we don't wanna get the attention of the doorman, right?"

"She looks like she's doing the pee dance", Teddy chimed in with furrowed eyebrows.

"No, she's just impatient", Callie laughed, her thumb rubbing soft circles over Arizona's hand.

"That's your fault", Arizona huffed. "You did not let me see what you're wearing underneath that hideous sweater."

"It's not hideous!", the brunette exclaimed, tightly gripping the zipper with her left hand when she saw Arizona's nimble fingers moving to grab it. "It keeps me warm and you from staring too much."

"Exactly! It keeps me from looking at you. Why am I not allowed to look at what's beneath it? Are you naked under it?", she asked with wriggling eyebrows and subconsciously tracing her tongue over her perfect pink lips.

"Oh please", Addison shrieked. "Please tell me you're wearing more than just a bra under the sweater."

The Latina's eyes went wide in shock. "Of course I am! And can we please stop talking about my clothes now and just get in?"

Making it into the club without having to wait too long, Callie offered to put their jackets away and meet her love and friends at the bar. After that was done, she made a bee line for the ladies room to check her appearance in the mirror. She looked good, if she may say so. The neckline of her shirt gave just enough away to fuel the imagination of what was lying under the fabric and in the bright light of the restroom she could see how well it went with her tan. Too bad Arizona was not in here right now. Or maybe it was just really good that she wasn't, because Callie knew, she couldn't guarantee for anything once the blonde would see her.

She made her way across the almost empty dance floor to the bar where the group of three was waiting for her to join them. It took her about ten seconds to spot her friends in the dimmed light but Addie's glowing red hair helped a lot. "Hey", she came up behind her fiancée putting her arms around the petite body.

Turning around in her lover's embrace, Arizona eyed the brunette up and down – or that's what she tried to do because of a certain reason, her gaze got stuck at the ___very_ appealing cleavage. She knew how that body looked beneath the shirt and the bra and it took all her willpower to not start drooling right on the spot. "You... uhm..."

"Yes?", Callie whispered with a smile. "Like what you see?"

"Like? Oh no, 'cause that would be the understatement of the century! I ___love_ what I see", she answered, her fingers moving along the neckline of the shirt and she had to swallow down the erupting lust. "Wow."

Giving the blonde a wink, she said, "I take that as a compliment."

"Oh, definitely. You look hot, Cal!", Teddy yelled over the music, getting a wide grin in return from the brunette. "Should we get a booth and order some drinks first? I am not brave enough to hit the dance floor when everybody around can see me."

"Sure. First round is on me. What do you want?", Callie asked and took the order. Since they were still not allowed to drink alcohol, they all went with non-alcoholic cocktails. She watched as the girls walked away, her eyes never leaving Arizona's behind and her fantastic shaped legs. She couldn't help but think that the blonde had put an extra swagger into her walk.

"What can I get ya?", the barkeeper ripped her out of her daze and she turned around to face her.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"What can I get a beautiful lady like you?", the bartender asked again, corrected her first question though as the Latina had turned around. "I've never seen you before. I would remember someone as hot as you."

"Uhm, yeah, first time", Callie answered, trying to hide her blushing cheeks as the woman had leaned over the counter and she could see the breathing chest a little too close for her liking.

"Really? Well, be my guest then. What's your favorite? Tequila? Bloody Mary? Sex on the beach?"

"Uhm, no. No alcohol. Not allowed to get drunk yet", she replied, an insecure smile pulling at her lips. Although many of her fellow students had tried out their limits with alcohol, the four of them stood strong, having their fun without needing to get wasted.

"That's too bad. I'll have you know, that I can make a mean but really good Zombie", she winked at the stunning Latina in front of her. "Well, once you are old enough, how about you give me a call?" Reaching out for Callie's hand and picking up a pen, she wanted to scribble her phone number into the brunette's palm.

Finally, Callie's brain caught up to her and she noticed that the barkeeper was trying to flirt with her. Pulling her hand away, she combed it through her hair in order to keep it busy. "Uhm, actually, I'm here with my fiancée and our best friends, so I'm... well...", she stopped the upcoming rambling before she would embarrass herself and just raised her hand to show her engagement ring.

"Engaged? At that young age? Must be a special someone", the bartender said, washed and dried her hands off on the towel she had attached to her belt.

"A very special someone." Callie noticed that woman's voice not as flirty as before and she saw the change in her facial expressions too. She brushed it off, though. The woman was beautiful, but no one stood a chance to the woman that held her heart for seven years now. So she ordered and waited for their drinks and went to the table the others had found for them. "A non-alcoholic Fizz for Adds, Virgin Mary for the second most beautiful blonde in this club and a Cinderella for the girl of my dreams", she said, placing a soft kiss on the blonde's cheek. Sitting down next to Arizona, she looked at her blonde and asked, "What's with that face?"

"She had to witness you getting hit on by the barkeeper and she did not like it", Addison grinned.

"Seriously?", the brunette asked. "You know there's-"

"She didn't hit on you", Arizona stated. "She practically offered herself to you. If it would have been appropriate, she would have dragged you behind the bar to have her way with you." Blue eyes looked up as the Latina smiled down at her. "Don't laugh, it's not funny."

"It's not. But you know that I only have eyes for you and that's why I told her that I am here with my fiancée." She closed the small gap between them and captured pink lips in an assuring kiss.

"Mhmm", Arizona hummed, "I might know that but all the other girls don't." Her lips made a path of soft kisses up the her lover's ear. "And that shirt should be illegal for you to wear. You look so damn hot, if it was anywhere near appropriate, I would have my way with you right now and fuck you senseless so the only think you'd know would be me, my fingers and my tongue..." She let the words sink in before she pulled away and grinned to herself when she noticed the deep red on the Latina's cheeks.

"Callie, are you okay? You look a little flushed over there."

"Yeah... yeah, I'm okay", Callie replied, taking a long sip from the cold drink and fanning herself with her hand. "Is it just me or is it quite hot in here?"

"That must have been some dirty words", Addison laughed. "Anybody up for dancing now? I kinda feel the itch in my feet."

"Oh, I'm right there with you", Arizona answered. Not waiting for her lover to finish her drink, she dragged Callie along with her to the middle of the dance floor, starting the night with 'I wanna dance with somebody'. Just when she pulled Callie closer to her so the Latina's front was pressed against her back, she saw Addison doing the same with Teddy and smiled at the new couple.

xxx

It took Arizona all of five seconds to close the door to their apartment behind them and spin Callie around to push her up against the wooden surface, attaching her lips immediately to her lover's neck. She had waited patiently while Teddy and Addison had been in their car with them. She'd even behaved herself after they had dropped them off on campus, knowing that Callie wanted to concentrate on driving. The ride home and the very little space in the elevator had fueled the fire inside her even more and enough was simply enough now. The Latina's body was calling for her, the scent that was pure Calliope mixed with the brunette's perfume filled her nostrils and Arizona had spent all night thinking about the things she wanted to do to her fiancée.

Pale fingers slipped beneath the green fabric – thank God none of them had bothered to put their jackets back on after exiting the car – that had teased her all night, lightly scratching along the waistline of Callie's jeans. "You looked so ___so _incredibly hot tonight." She kissed her way up to the Latina's full lips and, claiming them in a passionate kiss. "The way your hips swayed to the music." Grasping the flesh over her fiancée's hipbones, she nudged Callie's legs apart with her knee and pushed it up against her lover's center, relishing in the moan that move elicited.

Arizona seemed to have empowered her. She felt the door in her back and the blonde's body pressed against her front, but there was nothing she could do to turn the tables and be the one in control. Instead, little whimpers and moans left her mouth as pink lips let go of her mouth and trailed a wet trace down her neck again only to suck hard at her pulse point.

"I love the way your skin tastes", Arizona mumbled against the brunette's throat. "Kind of sweet. Not like chocolate, though. More like my own personal aphrodisiac."

"Arizona", Callie breathed out.

"You did everything on purpose tonight, didn't you?" Her fingers moved upwards under the Latina's shirt. "Dressing like that to get hit on by different women. You wanted to make me jealous, didn't you?" When she got no response, she firmly cupped Callie's breasts through the material of her bra, making the brunette cry out in pleasure. "Answer me", she demanded.

"I didn't."

"I don't believe you", the blonde husked. "And I think I need to show you that you're mine."

Feeling hands pushing up the cups of her bra and fingers starting to play with her erect nipples, Callie tried to sooth her body by breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth. Not that it worked, but it was worth a try. "Oh God..."

"Come", Arizona grinned and backed away from the gorgeous body, only to pull Callie's hands with her and guiding them straight to their bedroom. Once inside, she pushed the Latina further into the room until her calves met the edge of the bed. Tugging at the green fabric that was still blocking her view to the brunette's torso, she said, "This has to go."

Willingly lifting her arms, Callie gasped as relatively cool air made her shiver and goose bumps spread out all over her upper body. When she wanted to undress the blonde too, she felt two hands giving her a push and a second later she fell backwards, landing softly on the blanket covering the mattress. Opening her eyes just in time to see Arizona getting rid of the tank top and bra in record time, she gulped as perfect perky breasts bounced free. Pink buds were visibly hard and begging for attention as the blonde crawled up the bed.

"I am sorry, Calliope, but your clothes have to go. All of them."

Nodding, the Latina sat up to undo her bra. Straps fell off her shoulders and Arizona was quick to help disposing the garment. Crashing her lips against Callie's, they fell back onto the bed in a heap of limbs and a duel between their tongues.

Her hands moved over the stunning torso of her lover, caressing the soft skin over her breasts before moving lower and working on the button of the Latina's pants. Teeth bit into a full bottom lip as she lowered the zipper and boldly shoved her hands beneath the material of both, pants and panties. Gasping at the wetness that met her fingertips, a growl left pink lips. "You're so wet already."

Callie couldn't say anything. Her mind was driving on overload with everything she was feeling and everything that was coming from the jealous blonde. Never had she thought that jealousy would look so hot on her fiancée, but good Lord had she been wrong. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked straight into her lover's eyes, but they were an impossible dark shade of blue. Lust and want were practically pouring out of those eyes and Callie felt her knees going week at this sight. She saw the blonde on top of her moving down her body and then tug at her pants, so she lifted her hips. Just a moment later she was completely naked lying on their bed, already panting like they'd gone a round or two. She needed Arizona and she needed her now, but she didn't know that the blonde wanted her just as much.

After shimmying out of the rest of her clothes, she laid back down, making their naked bodies touch from breast to toes. "I love you", she whispered right against the Latina's lips and then connected them in a slow and loving kiss. Hands started to roam over bodies, Callie's fingers dug into the pale skin from time to time when Arizona sucked at her lip or pinched her nipples.

As the blonde started to trail kisses down her lover's body and was just about to take a tasty bud into her mouth, she was stopped by the tugging of tan fingers in her hair. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong", Callie panted. "I just want you up here and keeping your promise of fucking me senseless", she whispered once her fiancée's ear was close enough to hear the low voice. Closing her lips around the lobe and sucking it into her mouth, both moaned when the blonde rolled her hips.

"Oh shit", Arizona cursed as a fresh wave of lust flooded her whole being. Her hand moved on its own accord, slipping between tan legs and finding the Latina's center in a split second. Fingertips were instantly coated with Callie's moisture and the blonde couldn't help but moan at the feeling. It felt so good. Everything still felt so good, she wouldn't trade it for anything. She didn't waste time toying with the brunette's clit, she needed to feel her fiancée around her fingers, so she slipped right in, two fingers at the same time.

"Oh", Callie groaned. It felt heavenly, perfect, amazing. Her lover's fingers filling her was exactly what she needed.

"You feel so good", Arizona breathed out, reveling in the way the Latina closed in around her digits.

"You... too... amazing", the brunette said between sharp intakes of breath as the blonde on top of her pumped into her, picking up the pace with every single thrust. Apparently, slow was for later.

Blue eyes looked at the girl below her, noticing the writhing and moving of the body and the light sheen of sweats they'd worked up. Blonde tresses were dangling around her face with her every move despite the fact that Callie's fingers had a tight grip on her hair. "Fuck, you're so hot."

"Har-", Callie tried but got cut off by her own moan. Swallowing down the next growl as it was about to form in her throat, she stared up to the blonde, her eyes almost black with desire, she tried again, "Harder."

Not answering her lover with words but complying immediately, a pale arm pushed harder and faster, making her fingers pump with vigor into the brunette's hot center. "Shit, you're getting tight", she groaned when she felt her fiancée's walls locking her fingers inside her.

It was a little mortifying how fast Arizona could get her to her release some days, but her brain was too far gone to care right now. She wanted to come. Needed to come. Needed to let go with her lover's digits still inside of her. "Faster. Please. I'm so close." Flinging her legs around the smaller body, she locked her ankles, therefore pulling the blonde closer to her as she was seconds away from climaxing. "Please."

Once again following the Latina's plead, Arizona stepped up her pace another notch, thrusting into the body below her at an alarmingly fast pace. "You belong to me", she husked and smiled when Callie's body moved in rhythm with hers. Hips bucked up, fingers tugged harder and legs kept her in place. It was a little uncomfortable and her arm hurt, but she knew it wouldn't take that long anymore for Callie to fly over the edge into a strong orgasm.

"Fuck! Arizoo-ONA!", Callie yelled and her voice hitched when strong digits pressed against her sweet spot and Arizona simultaneously biting down in the crook of the Latina's neck. It was all it took for her to peak and her whole body felt like she had just ran a marathon. Endorphins were rushing through her system, keeping her on a blissful high.

Tan legs fell to either side of her and all she could do was collapse on the Latina's body. "You're amazing" she panted, still trying to catch her breath. With her fingers still inside Callie, both were lying there, breathing heavily and with their eyes closed.

Slowly coming back to earth, the brunette cried out again when Arizona suddenly pressed against the spot inside her. Her back wanted to arch up, but with the blonde's weight on top of her, she couldn't move. "Arizona, I can't-"

"You can", came from pink lips as she once again started to pump into her lover. "For me, you can."

"Fuck... fuck... fuck...", she chanted, her body immediately right back on the edge of another orgasm. "More."

Grinning, she applied pressure to Callie's clit with her thumb, rubbing it over the bundle of nerves in hard circles. "Come for me, Calliope", she whispered against full lips, claiming them in a soft kiss and muffling every noise that wanted to come out of it.

The tingles in her lower abdomen started all over and only a few seconds after Arizona had started to move inside her again, her second climax crashed through her body, making her go limp the second it hit her. It was almost as strong as her first and she felt as if it was even longer. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't think or even talk. All she could do was welcome every wave of pleasure when it was rushing through her veins.

Brushing dark curls out of her lover's face, she moved to lay down beside Callie whose chest was still heaving with every deep breath she took. Delicious breasts moved up and down as she reached out her hand to cup one of them, softly tugging at the light brown bud.

"Not again", the brunette growled.

"Sorry", she smiled. "I just can't get enough of you. You know that."

With her arm over her eyes, she replied, "Yeah I do. Just, give me a minute and I return the favor."

"Take your time", Arizona answered, curling herself up against the Latina's side. "We have all night and I plan to make use of it." Laughing at the low groan that spilled over full lips, she took her lover's hand and laced their fingers. "We have our whole lives together."

* * *

AN: shorter, but they are at a different point of their lives in the next chapter.


	41. It's Build To Last

AN: So, we're getting close to the end. After this, it'll be two or three chapters left and then TIAM re-post is done.

AN2: For those of you who are interested in reading Teddison's side of the story, I started a compainion piece from their point of view about their relationship and how it all started. It's titled The Map That Leads To You.

* * *

Balancing a bag full of groceries with her right arm and the med school books in a bag she had flung over her left shoulder, Arizona stopped before entering the apartment building that held their relatively new home in it and looked up. The upper apartments were bigger and therefore, more expensive than the one they lived in now. She could see the red glow of the setting sun reflecting in the large windows. It was the last day of August which meant that they had started med school twenty-five days ago. They had moved from Cambridge to Baltimore a week prior to their first classes. The moving itself had gone fluently, thanks to the moving company and Callie's well organized plan of packing up moving boxes. She'd practically made it the moment the letters came in, telling them that they had made it into Johns Hopkins – the only med school they all wanted to get in. Her brainy had also made a plan for Teddy and Addison who got into Johns Hopkins as well, what had been a relief. They all had feared that the little group of friends would be ripped apart after college, but once again, they were lucky. So, a little over four weeks ago, they all had moved over to make the first real steps in becoming doctors, surgeons, to be precise.

But, today being the 31st of August also meant that her fiancée's birthday was only another week away and she still didn't know what to get Callie for her twenty-second birthday. She'd spent the whole afternoon running around in the city of Baltimore, but nothing had caught her attention. It was the only afternoon they were not stuck in a lab or auditorium – med school had started in a rush for all four of them, yet the gorgeous woman who one day would be her wife, had to fill the very few spare time they had together with sports, so Arizona had strolled the streets of Baltimore with Addison and Teddy – who had annoyed her to no end with their longing gazes and little kisses. And they said she and Callie were bad, well, they were worse.

Anyway, nearly half an hour ago, she'd given up, did the groceries so Callie could make them dinner later and went home. She still needed a very good idea for the perfect birthday present, but she thought she could twist her mind on that problem at home while making herself useful in doing chores – or at least the laundry.

Unlocking the door just in time to hear a woman's voice hollering with a Spanish accent, 'Sarita, no!' and seeing a little girl running towards her. She was dressed in a light pink dress, her dark hair was tied back into two pigtails and despite the small body, she was pretty fast on her legs.

"Sarita!", the voice cried again, but Arizona could not see anyone.

Within a split second, she let go of the bag on her shoulder, the sound of heavy books meeting the tiled floor filled the air as the blonde's knees hit the ground as well. "Hey there, speedy", she stopped the little girl with her free arm. "What are you running away from?"

The little girl just chewed on her bottom lip and she stared at Arizona with big deep brown eyes. When she let go of the flesh, she flashed her a toothy grin.

"Me, apparently", the woman who had now caught up to the little girl said. "I am sorry, she always tended to run around and as of lately she started to run away too. Thanks for catching her."

"No problem at all", the blonde smiled up to the woman, seeing that the girl was unmistakable her daughter. "She's too cute."

"Thanks. Sarita, say hi to-", she stopped, not knowing the younger woman's name.

"Arizona", the blonde replied and held out her hand. "Arizona Robbins, my fiancée and I moved in a few weeks ago."

Picking up the little girl after shaking Arizona's hand, the woman answered, "I'm Emilia Pérez and this little princess here is my daughter Sarita. Say hi to Arizona", she smiled. The little girl though eyed the blonde and tilted her head to the side as if she was making a decision whether to say hi or not. "I am sorry, she's in that phase where she's being shy with strangers."

"That's fine, really", Arizona chuckled and stood back up. "Better this way than trusting everybody, right cutie pie?" She couldn't help but watch the little girl. Her skin was almost like Calliope's and the dark hair and brown eyes reminded her so much of her love. "How old is she?"

"Just turned two." Entangling a small hand from the necklace around her head, she once again smiled at Arizona. "Are you here for college?"

"Med school", the blonde nodded. "We're both attending Johns Hopkins, actually. Well, we're trying."

"Hopkins, huh. Impressive. They don't let in everybody. I know what I am talking about. My husband tried two times before he finally got in. He could have gone to Columbia for the whole four years, but we just got married and I was already attending law school here so he tried again after being away for a year."

"Wow, a doctor and a lawyer as parents, you must be a pretty smart kid", Arizona smiled as the two year old reached out to grab a few of her golden tresses.

"No, Sarita, don't pull Arizona's hair", Emilia laughed, once again taking her daughter's hand into her own. "I'm afraid I have to head out now. Have to put her into the hospital's daycare 'cause my husband is on call, the baby sitter is sick and I have to meet a client on a very short notice. "

"It's okay. I should probably get the ice cream into the freezer anyway before you can drink it", the blonde laughed.

"Ice cweam?", Sarita asked with her fore- and middle finger in her mouth, sucking on them as her big eyes lit up.

"That got your attention, huh? Maybe we can see if papá has some time for you."

"Papá?"

"Yes, papá. But to get to daddy, we really have to go now. It was nice meeting you, Ari-" But her word was cut off by her daughter interrupting her.

"Down?", the girl asked and tried to wiggle out of her mother's arms.

"Later, princesita. As I was trying to say, it was nice meeting you, Arizona. I am sure we'll meet again without you having to catch this little runner."

"That would be nice", the blonde smiled. "Bye bye, Sarita. Be good for your mommy." Looking back to the woman, she said, "Maybe I could baby sit her the next time you'll need someone to watch her and when she's warmed up to me or even us. I am sure Calliope would love that too."

"Calliope?", the woman wondered.

"Yeah...", Arizona trailed off, not knowing how Emilia would react to the fact that she was engaged to a woman. Sometimes they got weird looks or reactions when telling someone they were a couple. They mostly stayed away from those people, though, if that was possible. "My fiancée..."

"She's Spanish?", Emilia asked, completely unconcerned about the news that the girl in front of her was a lesbian. Love was love. I love you was I love you, eight letters, three words, one meaning and no matter the gender or the age – at least, in her families eyes.

Smiling in relieve, Arizona nodded. "She is."

"Well I am sure Sarita would love that, she's not that talkative but on some days she prefers speaking Spanish. Gaspar would like that as well. Why don't you and her come over for dinner, say, Saturday? You could spend some time with the little whirlwind here and get to know each other." Frankly, having a babysitter in the same apartment building was a chance she could not let go to waste. Their babysitter was not as available as she used to be a few months back and she disliked putting her daughter into daycare. It messed up her schedule, especially when it was already close to her bed time.

"I'd have to check with Calliope first, but I think we're free."

"Why don't you ask her and just let me know when you know for sure. We're living in 1035, so you can just knock there and tell me. Or leave a note in the mailbox if we're not home. I really have to go now."

"Of course. I see you soon, little sunshine. I am sure we'll get along very good", she beamed at the girl. "It was really nice meeting the both of you."

"You too, Arizona. See you soon."

Watching the two leave through the wide glass doors, Arizona picked up the heavy bag and made her way into the waiting elevator, pressing the button with the glowing 4 on it to make it up to their floor. She couldn't get the picture of the little angel out of her head. She had been too precious, too cute, had looked too much like her fiancée. Gosh, that girl will break every human being's heart once she was old enough... well, she probably already did.

Exiting the elevator, she walked towards their apartment and stopped in front of the door with a confused look on her face when she heard music blaring through the wood. Callie was not supposed to be home yet, practice would just be over. When she opened the door though, she was met with the gorgeous Latina dancing through their living room, singing along to some Spanish lyrics, a wide smile on her face. She smirked to herself. Callie's singing voice was something she – despite all of the time they spent around each other – rarely heard. Although it was utterly beautiful, the brunette almost never sang when others were around, so she thought she'd just enjoy the moment and leaned against the door frame, watching as Callie moved on her heels to the rhythm of the music.

A few seconds later, brown eyes locked on blue and the Latina abruptly froze in all her movements and in doing so, she almost tumbled over her own feet. "Hey", she said coyly, an insecure smile tugging at her lips. "I didn't hear you coming home."

"I noticed", Arizona grinned and put the grocery bag on the kitchen counter before letting the bag slide of her shoulder. "You're home early."

Stalking up behind the blonde and encircling her waist, she nuzzled her nose into the soft tresses. "Practice got canceled. Where have you been?"

"Meeting up with the love birds to catch up, doing some window shopping, nothing special", she shrugged, trying to sound nonchalantly. "They asked if we wanted to join them on Friday night. Teddy is all excited that a new skating rink opened up and you know Addie can hardly say no to her."

"Skating? Do you remember the last time I tried that? I ended up with bruises all over my body", the Latina cringed at the memory. Some of the bruises had been visible far too long for her liking. She was sporty and agile but some forms of sports were just not made for her and skating was definitely one of them, whether on ice or not.

Arizona turned around in her lover's embrace and stole a quick kiss from plump lips. "I know. But imagine how funny it is to watch Addison try it? It's hard to see her in anything but her fancy shoes, but I think it's gonna be so worth it."

The radiating smile she got from her fiancée was enough for her to know that she was a goner. Apparently, she couldn't say no to her girl either, not that this was a new discovery for her, but sometimes she wished she would be just a tiny little bit stronger. "Okay", she sighed.

"Yes!", the blonde exclaimed giddily and crashed her lips against Callie's. Before anyone could deepen it though, she pulled away again and asked, "Are we free on Saturday night?"

"Uhm, yeah, I think... why?"

"Oh, I met this woman in the lobby. Actually, I caught her daughter before she could slip through the open glass doors and run onto the street", she rambled. "Anyways, she invited us for dinner."

"A strange woman invited us for dinner?", Callie asked, raising her left eyebrow in question. "Do I have to worry?"

Lightly swatting the Latina's arm, blue eyes flashed up at her lover when she said, "No. I offered to babysit. You need to see the little girl, Calliope. Her name is Sarita, she just turned two and she's absolutely cute. I'm sure you'll love her."

She couldn't help but chuckle at the blonde's enthusiasm. Arizona had always been like that. Making friends at new schools and places so easily, that Callie would be jealous if it wasn't for the love she felt for her fiancée. "Okay. So I better make sure not to look like I ran into a wall after going skating with you", she laughed and leaned down to capture pink lips in another kiss. This kiss was longer and slow, filled with the love they had for each other. Two sets of lips parted and tongues met in a slow game of control which the brunette eventually won when Arizona let out a content moan.

Feeling the need for air, Callie pulled away, her nose brushing against her fiancée's as she pressed her forehead against the blonde's. "You hungry?"

"Mhmm", she hummed. "I bought everything you had on the list."

"Thank you", the Latina smiled, pecking Arizona's mouth one last time before unraveling herself from the smaller body. "But I thought we could order in? Pizza?"

"For reals!?", she squealed.

"I thought, pizza and movie night? Just laze around a few hours?"

"You... are... the... perfect... woman", Arizona said between hard kisses she placed on full lips.

"It doesn't take much to make you happy, does it?", she chuckled. It turned into a laughter though as the blonde spun around and began packing away the groceries.

"It does take you", she mumbled just loud enough for Callie to hear. A wide smile appeared on her face, making her dimples pop into her cheeks, the right one always a little deeper than the left, but both unmistakably noticeable. She felt two arms wrap her up into a tight hug again. A breathless 'I love you' was whispered in her ear. Life felt pretty much turtely awesome.

xxx

"Hey", Callie smiled at the boy behind the counter. He looked like he was barely sixteen years old, a base cap almost completely shielding his eyes. "One pair in size 6.5 and one in 7.5 please." It was Friday night and they were at the skating rink. She still didn't understand why her best friend and her fiancée were so exhilarated about being here. They could all end up with broken bones or many many bruises and she just didn't get why people thought this was fun.

"There you go", the boy handed her two pairs of deep blue skates. "Have fun."

Flinching at the last word, she took the skates and handed Arizona the smaller pair. "He said we should have fun... does he know how many people land flat on their asses in their?", she asked and pointed to the rink.

"Calliope, don't be such a baby. I promise to hold your hand and take care of your injuries ___if_ you fall. Does that help?", the blonde smiled at her. She couldn't wait any longer. The music that came from inside the hall was inviting her and she was already bouncy and excited. "It will be fun, you'll see."

"I think Addison is on my side today", she laughed when their friends walked towards them and the redhead's face showed no enthusiasm at all. "Hey Adds, hi Teddy."

The other blonde grinned at her like a Cheshire cat while Addie hugged Arizona, all the while grumbling and groaning. "You two are way too happy about tonight", Addison stated. She looked more like she was going to hit a club in her tight jeans and the red high heels.

"Oh, come on Red, cheer up. You can exchange your fancy Jimmy Choos for one night", Arizona laughed and pulled her friend down to sit next to her. Teddy had just left the group to get each of them some skates too. "Next weekend, we can go out for dinner or have a movie night or whatsoever, okay?"

"I think that's only fair", Callie agreed and laced the ties of her skates. She sighed with a look to her chucks. Not only were they more comfortable than the skates, more importantly they had no roles.

"Calliope, are you ready?", Arizona asked and stood up. She had no problem at all, she'd been on skates a lot of times in her life. Roller skates, ice skates and she and Timmy had always raced down the streets whereas Callie had always chosen to stoptheir times from a safe spot on the sidewalk. Rolling over to her lover, she held out her hand, knowing that Callie would rather prefer to stay put.

"No", the Latina answered and shook her head, her hands gripping the edge of the bench she was sitting on. "Why can Addie and I not just watch you two from the railing?"

"'Cause we're here to have fun and you agreed to have fun with us." Turning to her best friend, she said, "I'll see you inside, Red." Pulling the Latina into a standing position, she intertwined their fingers. "I got you, okay?"

"Okay, I guess", Callie replied. Her eyes were locked to her feet when Arizona made one step forward and she carefully followed. Seriously, she did not know why she was doing this. There should be some kind of self-protection-system in her brain to keep her from telling no to Arizona when it came to ___anything_ on skates.

Step by step, Arizona guided them into the hall. She'd be skating down the hallway but Callie thwarted her every time she moved too far away. It was really adorable to see the brunette like this. She was usually so strong and mature, but right now she looked more like a freaked out kid. Stopping before they actually put a foot on the rink, she leaned on the stopper to be at the same height as her fiancée. "Just hold my hand, okay?" Pressing a soft kiss on a tan cheek, blue eyes smiled at the other woman as she stepped through the small gate, feeling the change of the ground below her even through the skates. It was slicker and it sounded different.

"Don't let go of my hand", Callie said through gritted teeth, knowing that she would not let go of the blonde's fingers but that Arizona was most likely to pull away at some point. And she should be right. The blonde tried subconsciously tried to free her hand when they'd made their first round, wanting to go faster instead of moving at a turtle's pace. 'Turn left, turtle' rang it in the Latina's ears so she loosened her grip.

It wasn't that she did not want to be on Callie's side and help her. She'd always be there to help her lover. But to watch all the other people lapping them was not easy. She could go faster, could have done four to six rounds instead of the single one she just did and she couldn't ignore the itch to go faster. However, she did not leave the brunette alone. In spite of Callie letting go of her hand, she stayed by her side – more or less.

"Arizona, stop skating around me in circles!", Callie whined as her fiancée kept orbiting around her. It made her dizzy and dizziness would lead to her landing on her ass and that was simply something, she was not keen about to happen.

"Oh look, there's Teddy", Arizona grinned, ignoring the Latina's plea and circling her again.

She didn't dare to turn around, not wanting to risk losing her balance. Without her fiancée supporting her, she felt like she could indeed land on her butt any time.

"Where did you leave Addison?", the blonde wondered when their friend had joined them. Following the direction Teddy indicated with her finger, she gasped. "You left her alone? You are so cruel."

"You are circling your better half like she's some sort of dead meat and you're the vulture waiting to feed off her", Teddy deadpanned.

"Why, thanks Teds. And I thought you were my best friend", Callie growled. She slowly got the hang of it – again. Not moving too fast or too slow was perfect for her.

"I am", the other blonde grinned and turned around to skate backwards, looking for Addison. "How's lab class going for you? Any odd or nerdy lab partners yet?"

"Nope", Arizona answered as she mirrored Teddy's move, both slowing down to stay near the Latina. Seeing that Callie was trying harder to concentrate on her steps, she continues, "I cheated so we ended up as a team." The proud grin on her face did not go unnoticed by Teddy.

"Seriously? How could you cheat?"

"Doctor Riles was counting through the rows and once I knew his pattern I switched seats with this guy that was sitting behind us. It couldn't have been easier", she snickered. "The nerdy guy was probably happy too, after all, he was allowed to sit next to a ___very_ hot woman for probably the first and last five minutes of his life. It was a good dead."

"Gosh, I hate you!", Teddy groaned. "Our TA called out our names and partnered us up. Addie got lucky, her partner is smart and seems to be funny. I ended up with the guy nobody wants to be friends with." She really missed Mark since they moved to Baltimore. Over the years in college, where she had obviously made new friends and he had met new people too, their friendship had become less close, still, she missed him, especially in classes. And now he'd moved to Stanford to attend Stanford University.

Wrinkling her nose, Arizona let out a very audible 'Yikes'. Blue eyes focusing on Callie for a moment who seemed to be doing well, she looked past the brunette to seek out their red-haired friend. "Uhm, maybe you should be her knight on shining skates?", she suggested. Addison was tumbling and shaking, her hands waving wildly in the air, almost hitting other people.

"Nah", Teddy said, "she doesn't want me to help her. She wants to do it all by herself. You know how stubborn she can be.""Sing it", Callie chimed in, almost stumbling herself as she tried to contain her laughter.

"Easy, Love", Arizona smiled, taking the brunette's hands in her own again, slowly skating backwards and guiding her for a few feet. "Told you I would not let you fall."

"How's Addie doing?"

"Looks like it's getting better", Arizona answered. The redhead finally stood on both feet, her arms still weighing out her balance, but at least it didn't look anymore like she was trying to fly. "She's trying again."

Still not trusting her body enough to take a look herself, she studied the blonde's face for any indication of something bad happening. "Does it work?"

"She's moving", the blonde smiled and then teased, "She's actually moving faster than you are."

"I'm okay with being a turtle", Callie simply stated and kept moving, one foot after the other. Slow and steady but also safe. Better safe than sorry.

"Oh oh, Teds, now you really should help her", Arizona warned, seeing that Addison had gotten too fast and didn't know how to stop. "Seriously, Teddy, help her!"

"She'll only shoo me away", the blonde defended.

"Theodora, help your girlfriend, now!" The order came too late, though. Her eyes followed as Addison rushed past them and just a couple of seconds later, crashed into a guy and taking him down with her. "Will you help her now?" She let go of Callie's hands and both raced to Addie and the guy who had landed on top of the redhead in a heap of limbs and groans.

The guy was quickly up on his feet again though and helped their friend up as well, supporting her weight before she would fall down again.

"I am so sorry", Addie said embarrassed, offering a sweet smile. "I didn't know how to stop."

"It's okay. Next time just shout a loud move and everybody knows you're coming", he winked. "Are you okay, though?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a major bruised ego", she answered. Her behind hurt like a mother, she was not going to tell that to a stranger, though. Seeing Teddy and Arizona stopping next to her, she shot both of them a death glare. "Thanks for helping me up", she said to the guy.

"No problem at all", he smiled and took off.

"I have to say, Red, you do have a rather unusual way to meet new people", Arizona laughed out loud, taking her friend's right arm as Teddy took her left and they accompanied her to the railing.

"Yeah, I normally do know other options to make friends", Addie joked back.

"Like, inviting them to sleep in your bed after getting wet and some screaming?", the blonde teased, making them all laugh this time. Nobody would have guessed back then, that Teddy and Addie would share a bed every night years after that first night. "Seriously though, are you okay?"

"Yeah yeah. My ass hurts like shit. If it bruises, you're not going to see me naked until it's gone, Teddy."

"Wha-", the blonde gasped. "Seriously?"

"Yes. It's your fault we're here." She climbed out of the rink and carefully 'walked' over to the bench. "And now I'll take my place on the bench and get out of these for a while", she said and sat down. "I'm sure Callie will join me."

"Oh, you're so right!", the Latina smiled. She'd just made her way over to her friends and given the redhead a look over. "You two can race and skate as much as you want now, we're staying here. My feet are killing me already."

"Psh, babies", Teddy rolled her eyes, grabbing the other blonde before she could say anything and taking off with her.

"You know you're staring, right?", the Latina teased and nudged her friend's side with her elbow.

"You know you're staring too, right?", the redhead rebutted.

"I'll always be staring at her", Callie admitted with a soft sigh. Seeing the happiness in the blonde's blue eyes was worth wearing skates for a night out. It was worth a lot more. "We're lucky, aren't we?"

"Damn straight... well, or not straight at all", Addie laughed and the brunette joined in, both pair of eyes following their relative other half.

xxx

"Calliope, stop fidgeting", Arizona laughed when she caught a glimpse of the Latina's fumbling fingers. "You look like you're about to audition for your internship. There's no need to be nervous. This is just dinner with a nice family." It was Saturday night, they all had survived going to the skating rink last night – in spite of Addison's little accident – and now Callie and she were waiting for the elevator to bring them up to the tenth floor. It was just close to six and usually, they wouldn't have dinner for another hour or so, but having a two year old at the table with them meant that they'd have to eat earlier today. "You'll see, Emilia is really nice and I am sure that her husband is just as nice. And Sarita, gotta love her", she added with a smile

"I'm not nervous", Callie answered. Well, she was nervous, but just a tiny little bit. What made her fidgeting was the splitting headache she'd already woken up with that morning. Any other day, she'd just shut down, close the blinds and turn off the lights, maybe try to sleep it off. But today, she couldn't. She knew how much Arizona was looking forward to this dinner and to seeing the little girl again. So she thought she'd just pull through for her fiancée.

"You've been pretty quiet all day. Are you okay?", the blonde asked, her voice laced with concern. Turning to face her lover, she placed the back of her hand against the brunette's forehead. "You're a little warm."

She tried to shrug it off, "It's nothing. I'm just tired, we didn't get that much sleep last night." Not only did they come home late after leaving the diner they'd gone to after working up an appetite, but she and the blonde had also played a few rounds of rolling in the sheets. She would never complain about it – obviously – but after only four to five hours of sleep and her head telling her that it was definitely not enough, they had still gotten out of bed to get everything done for next week's med school classes. "Just a minor headache." Major headache, but Callie would not admit it.

"You sure about that? We can-"

"I'm good", the brunette cut Arizona off and looked her straight in the eyes. "Really, Arizona. I took an aspirin and it should kick in in a few minutes." To be honest, she'd taken three aspirins already and none had kicked in. But again, she wouldn't admit it.

Giving the Latina another suspicious look, she finally said, "Okay. But please tell me when it's getting worse. We can always go home, okay?"

Sighing because one, she hated lying to the blonde – even about something so negligible like a freaking headache – and two, she had a small feeling that Arizona didn't buy her words anyway, she nodded and stepped into the elevator as it dinged and the doors slid open. Feeling the blonde taking her hand in hers, she smiled at the little contact. It was something they did every day for many ___many_ years, but it always managed to make her feel giddy and completely in love. "You said her husband works at the hospital?"

"Yes. That's why Emilia was heading there on Wednesday, to put Sarita into the hospital's daycare."

"Is he a surgeon?", she wanted to know. "Do you know what field he works in?"

Chuckling, the blonde leaned closer to her lover. "I don't know, Calliope. But you can ask him all you want and I can play with Sarita." Secretly, she loved to see and hear Callie talking like this.

There had never been a doubt inside her, that the two of them were not only meant for each other, but also that they would become surgeons, saving lives every day from the day they would start their internship. That would not be the case, of course, and she knew that. They'd run errands, get lab results and watch surgeries – if they were lucky – but one could always dream that it would be different.

As the elevator dinged a second time, announcing that they had reached their destined floor, Callie pushed every thought about the pounding in her head and ears away and put on a smile. She could do it.

"You'll love her", Arizona said again, dragging the Latina along with her as she exited the elevator and walked through the hallways, stopping at a red apartment door with black number 1035 on it. Knocking softly on the hard surface. Immediately, the laughter of a toddler could be heard and a wide grin appeared on the blonde's face as she looked over to her fiancée who was standing to her right. And it got even bigger, dimples popping deep into her cheeks when Emilia opened the door with Sarita in her arms.

"Hey, come in", she welcomed them with a warm smile. Putting the girl down on the floor as she'd closed the door, she extended her hand to the Latina, "You must be Calliope. I am Emilia." Feeling her daughter wrapping her little arms around her right leg, she laughed. "And the hiding one is Sarita."

"Uhm, it's... actually, I go by Callie", the brunette replied, insecurely scratching the inside of her forearm. "Only Arizona and our families call me Calliope", she added quickly, hoping she did not come off too impolite when she corrected the woman.

"Fine with me", Emilia said and took away some of the younger woman's tension. "Sarita, come here, say hi to our guests."

"Don't force her, Emilia", a male chuckling voice reached their ears and all three of them turned around. "I'm Gaspar", he introduced himself and picked up the youngest human being in the room after she'd run over to him. "You don't have to be scared, mi corazón."

"It's okay", Arizona said understandingly. "My little brother was no different around strangers when he was that age." Timmy had been even worse. There had been days where he only wanted to be with their mother, but that seemed like a lifetime ago now. Carefully approaching the man and the little girl, the blonde put on her sweetest smile. "Hey, do you remember me?"

Pulling away from her father, deep brown eyes looked over to her mother who nodded reassuringly and only then the little girl dared to look at Arizona. With one hand around the man's neck, she used the other to reach out – still lacking of some fine motor skills – and patted the blonde's cheek.

Blue eyes lit up at the chubby hand on her skin and she smiled at the cute girl. "My name is Arizona." She didn't know if Sarita would remember her name, so she just told her again. "And this, this is my beautiful fiancée, Callie." She watched as the toddler's eyes followed her hand. "Come here, Calliope."

"I don't want to scare her", the Latina replied, not knowing how much the girl could take. Children could be difficult to read, especially kids that young, she'd learned that with Timmy as well as the blonde. "I can just wait here."

Seeing the signs of uneasiness in the Latina's eyes, she stepped closer to her. "It's okay", Emilia encouraged her. "She's not really scared, just shy and wary around strangers. She'll warm up soon."

"A-zona", Sarita said, going over to poke the blonde's face with her fingers, making Arizona snicker. "A-zona", she said again, her tongue peeking out between little teeth.

"See", Emilia laughed, "that's already the first step." Knowing her daughter, it would only be a matter of minutes now for her to warm up to them. "She has a good sense of people." For a short moment, she watched the interaction between the young woman and her daughter before she asked out of the blue, "Arizona said, you're both attending med school?"

"Yeah," Callie answered, her eyes also focusing on her lover and the little girl. "But we just started. We're nowhere near finished. We don't even know how hectic it will be once finals turn up." Although she kind of had a feeling that their finals at college had been a piece of cake compared to what was coming by the end of their first year at Johns Hopkins.

"It's mostly human anatomy and lab classes right now, isn't it?", Gaspar asked and then laughed, "Been there, done that. When you feel like you're not getting anywhere with these classes, you gotta push some more so you'll get through them. In the end you'll know, you're working towards something."

"I like it so far", Arizona chimed in, the grin never leaving her face. "I've always wanted to become a surgeon."

"Really?", the man wondered.

Still playing peekaboo with Sarita who seemed to warm up more and more, she answered, "Yes. Since I was little and it never changed. The field keeps changing though..."

"My husband didn't decide what specialty he wanted to choose until he finished his boards, so don't worry", Emilia laughed, remembering the nightly talks she'd had with Gaspar, weighing out the pros and cons of every different surgical field. "And in the end, he settled for general surgery so he could have the most of it."

"Calliope will surely go into Orthopedics", the blonde gave away.

Looking at the young brunette next to his wife, Gaspar asked, "You will?"

"I hope so", the Latina replied and shrugged, "I just really have a thing for bones..."

"And muscles and joints and cartilage and really everything that comes with Orthopedics", Arizona laughed and at the same time wrinkled her nose. Bones were not her thing. She could see herself in General as well, or maybe Trauma or Neurosurgery. But maybe she should just stick to the plan her younger self had made and go into Pediatrics.

"Well, you still got some time to make a decision. And I am sure you'll find out what you want during your residency", the man smiled at her while putting his daughter down. "Sarita, why don't you show Arizona and Callie your room?"

"Gaspar, dinner will be ready in a few minutes", Emilia reminded her husband. "We shouldn't mess with her schedule any more than necessary. We should get her ready for dinner"

"We can do that", the blonde said immediately. "I mean, if that's okay? I've always helped my mom to get Timothy ready and Callie has been there a lot of times too."

"Yeah, why not", the woman smiled. "The bathroom is over there. Sarita has her own glittering soap, it's the pink bottle next to the basin, you can't miss it."

"Glittery soap?", Arizona asked and raised her eyebrow. "Well, now I am jealous."

Laughing at her lover's statement, the brunette walked up to them and squatted down to the little girl. "Hola, Sarita. Soy Callie", she said in her mother tongue. It was the language she'd grown up with the first six years of her life. The Menken's didn't know any Spanish, but they had always made sure that she had attended Spanish classes in or outside school so she'd never forget that part of her roots.

"Soy Sa-wi-ta", the little girl answered and pointed to her own chest.

Big brown eyes locked on the Latina's brown orbs and Callie could not help the smile forming on her lips. Arizona had been right. The toddler was pure cuteness, she almost forgot about her still very prominent headache. "Lavarse las manos?"

"Uh-huh", the girl nodded. With two fingers in her mouth again, she let Callie take her free hand.

"Not fair", the blonde huffed. "You're using Spanish to get to her."

Standing up again, the brunette leaned closer to her lover and whispered just loud enough for Arizona to hear, "Suck it." Walking towards the bathroom, she grinned at the firm grip Sarita had on her hand and the noise of following footsteps which clearly matched her fiancée's walk, so she let the door open for the blonde to join them. "Do you want Arizona to wash your hands?", she asked as she lifted the girl on the little stool in front of the basin.

"Pink", Sarita said, stretching her chubby little arm to reach the soap in the pink bottle.

"Yes, cutie, that's yours", Arizona chuckled and took the bottle only to hand it over to the girl, letting her decide who she wanted to help her. "Should we wash your hands?"

Holding her hands up in the air, she asked, "A-zona do it?"

"Do you want me to? Or do you want Callie to help you?"

She looked at Arizona who was on her right and then to Callie who was on her left, clearly loving – though still a little shy – the attention she got from the both of them. "A-zona wash hands? Callie secaw manos?"

The young women shared a look over the little dark-haired head and smiled, not knowing whether the toddler had already picked up the fact that Callie understood and spoke Spanish and Arizona didn't or whether it had just been a coincidence.

"You want me to wash your hands and Callie to help dry them off?", the blonde asked. Of course she got what Sarita had said, she just wanted the girl to understand that they were doing it the way she wanted it. Turning on the facet after she received a nod from the girl, Arizona took the pink glittery soap and poured a good amount of it in her hands. "Calliope...", she trailed off.

"No, Arizona, no. We're not getting pink glittery soap to wash our hands", the Latina stated.

Looking at the brunette and batting her eyelashes as she soaped little hands and fingers, making sure she'd do it properly, she tried, "Maybe a bubble bath? For me?"

Not dignifying her lover's question with an answer, she grabbed the towel that had Dora the Explorer on it and waited for Arizona to turn off the water. She felt blue eyes boring a whole into her head and caved, "Fine. We can ___talk _about that."

"Yay", Arizona exclaimed a little too loud for the Latina, but she hid it behind another smile. Sarita's hands were all cleaned up and she watched as Callie took over while she rinsed her own hands of any remnants of soap. "Doesn't it look awesome?", she asked and lifted her wet hands for the brunette to see her glittering palms.

"Yeah, for a child, Arizona", Callie replied and rolled her eyes, still rubbing the toddler's hands dry.

Cute high pitched giggles echoed through the bathroom when Emilia joined them to see if everything was alright. "She's ticklish in her palms", she said. "Did Callie and Arizona get your hands all good for dinner?"

"Manos washed", Sarita grinned, showing her mother her hands and wiggled her fingers. "Callie hop down."

"You want to hop down? I don't know if that's a good idea, maybe we should ask your mamá first."

"She needs help, but she loves it", Emilia said, smiling at the scene before her eyes when Sarita took one hand of each of them and jumped down the stool with a big grin on her face. Not waiting for anyone, she ran past her mother. "Everything went okay?"

"Perfectly fine", the blonde assured. "She's an angel."

"Today", Emilia laughed, knowing that her daughter could throw the best temper tantrums when something was wrong. They were rare, but they happened. "Dinner is ready, by the way. I bet Gaspar already put her in her high chair."

Following the woman back through the living room and into the dining room, all four adults sat down, Sarita in her chair in the middle of her mother and Arizona. "Eat away, I'll make sure she's not getting too messy."

"A-zona", the girl announced.

"You want Arizona to help you?"

"Si", the toddler stated with a persistent nod and gave her spoon to the blonde. "A-zona, pweeease." Not understanding what she had done, but seeing that everybody laughed, the girl laughed too.

"Well, dig in before it gets cold", Gaspar said and was the first to start eating. The rest followed, Arizona managed quite well to eat her own dinner and to assist the two year old at the same time. She loved it and would not mind babysitting the girl from time to time. She was pure joy and the more minutes she spend around her, the more she liked it. She felt Callie's eyes on her and turned to face the brunette, finding nothing but love looking back at her.


	42. It's Build To Last Part 2

Later that night, when a sleeping pale body dressed in only a tank top and a pair of black panties rolled from her position on her back onto her right side, Arizona automatically draped her arm over the also dormant form of her fiancée. Snuggling deeper into the Latina's body, she was met with damp fabric and sweaty skin beneath her fingers and it dragged her into consciousness. "Calliope?", she rasped, her voice thick with sleep. Clenching the material of the brunette's top in her fist, she noticed it was almost soaked. Her left hand traced over caramel skin up to the bare shoulder and into dark curls, only assuring what her weary mind had already told her, Calliope was sweating. Sitting up, she also noticed that the Latina's breathing was heavier than usual.

She softly placed her hand over the brunette's cheek and forehead – as far as that was possible with how deep Callie's face was nuzzled into the pillow – and her eyes went wide in shock. The Latina was not only sweating like she'd just spent a few hours on the court, she was also burning up. "Damn", she muttered under her breath. She should have known something was wrong, when they'd come down from their dinner with the Pérez family and Callie had immediately gone to bed, saying that she was having a headache. Not feeling tired, Arizona had decided to flop down on the couch in their living room and watch some TV. And when she'd crawled under the shared blanket, her lover had not moved an inch, she hadn't even flinched.

Glancing sideways to check the time on her nightstand, the red digital numbers told her that it was just after five in the morning. Way too early to get up and honestly, even too early to be awake, but that was already too late now, so she switched on the little nightlight. Pushing the covers away, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed without much gusto, stood up and walked around the piece of furniture to take a better look at her fiancée. The brunette was sprawled out on the mattress, the blanket barely covering her torso and still, Arizona could see the sheen of perspiration glistening on her body. Getting down on her knees, she brushed some damp tresses out of the brunette's face, whispering a soft "Calliope", but the body on the bed still didn't react.

Arizona got up again and walked into the en-suit bathroom – yes, they finally had one – only to emerge a moment later with a slightly dripping cold washcloth in her right hand and a medical thermometer in the other. Sitting down on her lover's side of the mattress where was just enough space left so she would not slide off the bed, she put the thermometer down on Callie's nightstand, then wiped the Latina's face with the cloth. Her left hand came up to cup a tan cheek afterwards and she thought her skin was burning although it was still cold from the water she'd used to drench the material. But the small gesture had the girl next to her stirring and the blonde smiled down at her when brown eyes tried to flutter open. "Hi", she breathed out.

"Ari-zo-na?", Callie panted out. Her body felt heavy, her throat was sore and her head was still about to explode. Even talking hurt. And why was it so hot in here? "What-?"

"Sshh", Arizona shushed her with a slender finger against full dry lips, before replacing it with the cloth, softly patting and wetting the flesh.

Her tongue peeked out and she let out a content sigh. The very few remnants of water felt heavenly on her mouth and tongue. "Th-anks", she rasped and licked her lips again. Still, it did nothing to soothe the fire in her pharyngeal – and why did her brain give her the anatomical term right now? She was just overly thirsty and tired. Why did she wake up in the first place?

"I'm going to take your temperature, okay?"

"Sleep?", Callie mumbled. Everything just ached. She was sure she hadn't felt like that when she'd gone to bed last night, but now she didn't even want to think about getting up. Or moving in general. Or thinking, for that matter.

Giving the brunette a sympathetic look, Arizona said softly, "Just a few seconds, love, okay? I just want to know how high your fever is." If she was sure of one thing right now, it was that Callie was definitely having a fever. They both got sick on really rare occasions. Of course, they'd had their fair share of colds and even caught one or two stomach bugs since they'd moved out to start college and now med school, but neither of them had been seriously sick – thanks to the Latina's healthy and balanced food. They'd even gotten their half-yearly flu shots – again, thanks to Callie always making appointments for them – not wanting to risk needing a week or only a few days in bed to get better. Because frankly, missing classes was not as easy as it had been back in junior high or high school.

Her eyes closed again when she felt the blonde tenderly cupping her cheek as she put the earpiece of the device into her ear and the beeping noise filled the room, making her groan.

"Sorry", Arizona breathed out, once again whisking the washcloth carefully over her lover's face while the thermometer took its time to show her the temperature. When it read over 103° Fahrenheit, she sighed. It had her worried. The last time any of them had such a high fever was when Callie had to go into surgery to get her appendix out. "Are you feeling nauseous?"

The Latina could only barely muster to shake her head. She was too tired to speak any more words. But then she remembered her need for water so she asked for some. Just a second later she felt the mattress shifting and she heard naked feet meeting the hardwood floor of their bedroom. She prepared her head for the screeching of the door that could be heard when you opened it too far, but thankfully, Arizona must have slipped through the smallest gap. When the mattress shifted again, this time behind her, she knew the blonde had gotten back.

"I got you a bottle and a dry shirt, but you have to sit up", she said, instantly offering the Latina to help her and fluffed up her pillow so Callie could lean against it. Grabbing the hem of the damp fabric, Arizona pushed it up and with little to no movement from the brunette, pulled it over her head. "I need a little help here, love." She would have laughed if it wasn't for Callie's fatigue weakness. "Do you think you can lift your arms just a little bit for me?" Slipping the Latina's limbs through the arms of the new shirt first, she then pulled it over the head and down her torso. Usually, Callie was not one to be so passive and it showed the blonde that she indeed was feeling sick. "Did you feel this bad during or after dinner?"

Again, Callie just shook her head, sighing as cold water finally ran down her throat. She'd just had a headache and had felt beyond tired. Nothing she'd wondered about, because she knew what a night they had had. "Sleep now?", she asked again.

Smiling at how adorable her fiancée was right now, she asked, "Want to come here?" When she received a mild nod in response, Arizona put the water bottle down on her side of the bed and switched off the light after gently putting the medical thermometer and the cloth down on her bedside table. Sliding down so she was fully lying on her back and opening up her arms to welcome the other girl's body, because she knew Callie needed some body to body contact when she felt sick, she waited for her lover to inch closer. There was no thought that it might feel gross because of the sweat and the heat that was radiating from the brunette's body. She wouldn't want to be anywhere else when her lover needed her. "Do you think you can go back to sleep or do you need anything else?" But the question remained unanswered and the next things she heard were the soft snores coming from full lips. Lifting her left arm, she stroked her fingers through silky brown strands. Callie's hair wasn't as short anymore as it had been when she'd cut it the first time, a little over a year ago after she proposed to her. She'd had it trimmed to the same length three times after that but she was trying to get it long again and now it just reached her shoulder blades. Brushing a soft kiss onto her lover's forehead, she kept playing with the Latina's curls while making a mental note to call her mother once it was an appropriate time in Seattle. Maybe she could manage to make her mother's special chicken soup tomorrow. It could work if Barbara would talk her through it on the phone – well, at least it would be worth a try.

Feeling the arm around her waist tightening its grip, she let go of Callie's hair and let her hand wander down the brunette's arm to finally entwine their fingers. She didn't like seeing her fiancée like this and knowing that Callie was usually not one to whine about being sick – quite the opposite actually, she always brushed it off as nothing – had her guts wrenching. Yes, she would definitely call her mother in the morning and get some meds from the pharmacy. "Get better, my love", she whispered before succumbing to her own tiredness.

xxx

When Arizona woke up again, it was clear without ambiguity with the sunlight streaming through the blinds, softly kissing her body, that it was morning. She blinked a couple of times, trying to shake off the last memories of the weird dream she just had – in which she had to sit through her final exams naked – and focus on the things she had to do this morning. One, calling her mother for the recipe of the chicken soup. Two, get to a drug store and get some meds that would bring down Callie's temperature. And three, take care of her poor sick fiancée, whose feverish body was still lying like dead weight on her body, still hot and sweating. Usually, Arizona would not complain about the Latina hot and sweaty atop of her in the morning – no matter the time of day actually – moaning, moving, making love to her.

Letting her hand wander over the tan forearm in featherlight dances, she felt the burning skin in the nerves of her fingertips, telling her that the fever had not – or just slightly – subsided ___over_during the rest of the night. Her breathing was still labored and it was coming through parted lips against the rejoined hands on the blonde's stomach.

"Calliope", she whispered softly into her lover's dark brown curls, wanting to check if the brunette was anywhere near waking up.

"Hmm?", a weak hoarse whisper could be heard. Barely, but it was there.

"Good morning, love", the blonde smiled and then spoke with almost no sound, "Can you let me get up?" She really hated waking Callie up for no important reason, especially when she was sick. But she also ___really _needed to go to the bathroom and she needed to go rather now than a few minutes later.

"Kay", the Latina rasped and tried to roll over. Her body though, fought every movement she was about to make. She'd thought that maybe the aching limbs she'd felt when she had been awake at some point last night had been a dream. Yeah, apparently, it wasn't a dream. She still felt like shit.

Noticing her fiancée's misery, Arizona lifted their laced hands and placed a soft kiss into the Latina's palm, before she squirmed herself from under the dead weight. The soft thud that could be heard as the body slumped back into the mattress, made Arizona shiver. She'd seen Callie this weak and lifeless only once in her whole life and that was when they'd just clarified their relationship from being friends who kissed on a daily basis to being girlfriends how kissed and cuddled on a daily basis. This time at least, it couldn't be her appendix.

Grabbing the washcloth from the side table and concurrently checking the time, she looked one last time at the outspent body. It was almost 10am which meant that it was close to 7am in Seattle. Not too early to call her mom, right? Her father would probably leave the house in the next fifteen to thirty minutes and Timothy should be up as well. With that in mind, she turned around, her feet almost getting tangled up in Callie's shirt she'd discarded on the floor last night, but she caught herself before stumbling to the ground. She picked up the article of clothing to throw it into the laundry basket and finally left for the bathroom, snickering to herself. A few years back, she would have left the shirt on the ground and the cloth on the nightstand. In fact, her whole room would have been a little messy most of the time. But ever since Callie and she had moved in together, a lot has change and her disposedness for tidiness was one of it.

Emerging the en-suite only three minutes later – slightly more awake after she'd splashed some cold water into her face – she walked back to the bed and again wiped the Latina's face with the re-damped washcloth and then took the temperature from the sleeping woman. It was still a little over 103 and while it already had her worried last night, it kind of scared her this morning and she immediately reached for her cell phone to call her mom, who thankfully picked up at the third ring.

"___Robbins?"_

"Mom, it's me", Arizona said, a light happiness ringing in her voice. Talking to her family always made her happy. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

"___No, Dimples, you didn't. You know your father gets up at 6.30, sharp, to go for a run. To what do I owe this early call?"_

She saw the contorting and twitching muscles in the brunette's face and backed away towards the door, leaving the room just as quietly as she did last night.

"___Dimples, are you still there?"_

"Yeah, sorry", the blonde answered quickly. "I just had to leave the bedroom, don't want to wake Calliope."

Barbara's chuckles could be heard on the other end of the line. "___That girl can sleep through a hurricane, Dimples."_

"Yeah...", she smiled. "Yes, she can."

"___Arizona Robbins, what is wrong? And don't you dare lie to me, Arizona. I raised you. I know when you are worried."_

"It's Calliope, mom. She's sick. And I don't mean sick like she's having a cold and tries to convince me that she's fine-sick. She's burning, mom. Her temperature is over 103° Fahrenheit and it's that high for at least five hours now. She's sweating her ass – uhm, I mean a lot", she explained correcting herself before her mom could make a comment about her choice of words.

"___Is she shaking?"_, her mother asked.

Thinking about it for all of three seconds, the blonde answered, "No, but she's soaking her clothes. I wanted to make her your special chicken soup... but I need the recipe, mom. I think we have all the ingredients. If we don't, I can get them, we have a 7/11 a few minutes down the street and I want to get her some meds, do you know what works the best against her fever?" When she was done rambling, she took a deep breath.

"___Arizona, calm down, okay? Even I can sense that you are scared, but that's not necessary. It's a fever, she might have caught a flu attack"_, Barbara soothed her daughter. "___Get her some Tylenol or Ibuprofen, make sure she drinks enough and you can also make her some calf packing Callie has the recipe for my chicken soup typed down when you visited the last time, I'll just send you an email with it, okay?"_

"Okay, mom", the blonde breathed out. "I think we might still have some Tylenol. She won't like the leg compresses though."

"___She won't. But your girl is reasonable. She'll understand that it's just to help her."_

"Yeah", Arizona smiled. "Mom?"

"___Yes, Dimples."_

"If... when I have problems making the soup, can I call you? I don't want to poison her on top of being sick."

There was a soft laughter from Barbara before she answered, "___Of course you can, Arizona. But you won't poison her. It's the easiest soup I can think of, yet it always works its magic. You're smart, Dimples, you'll do fine."_

"You think so?"

"___I know so, Dimples."_

"Thanks momma", Arizona sighed. "Uhm... about the calf wrapping..." She felt stupid for asking, but they'd simply rarely gotten that sick. Her brother a little more often than she, but she couldn't remember her mom ever making them calf packing.

"___You need five towels. A large on to put under her legs. Two small ones, drench them in cold water, but squeeze them out so they're not dripping anymore. Put them around the calves. Then wrap each leg up in a dry bigger towel. Don't cover her legs with a blanket. If she gets cold feet, she can wear socks"_, the older woman explained.

Walking over to the fridge to pour herself a cup of milk, she said, "Okay, doesn't sound too hard. Anything else?"

"___Make sure to change them at least every twenty minutes. Repeat it three times then wait two hours and see if the fever has gone down. If needed, repeat the whole process again after two hours."_

"Okay", she let out another breath and started the kettle. "I can do that. Tell Daddy and Timmy that I love them, okay?"

"___Of course Dimples"_, she heard her mother sigh. "___And make your girl some peppermint tea with some honey in it. She'll love that."_

Smiling at her mother's knowledge of her fiancée's favorite tea, Arizona hung up and finished her milk while waiting for the water to boil. It seemed to take forever though, so she snatched a banana from the fruit bowl on the counter and munched it down in just a few bites, stilling the first wave of hunger before starting her day as a nurse. It felt good though. Callie was always so adamant when it came to her well-being, that it was nice seeing the tables turned. This time, she'd take care of her lover, make her breakfast, lunch and dinner, tea and leg compresses.

When Arizona walked back into their bedroom, even more light was shining through the gaps between the blinds, making every spot where it hit the Latina's skin glow in a soft caramel tone. She put the cup with hot tea down on the bedside table and left once again for the bathroom to prepare the towels, deciding to let her sleep a few minutes longer.

"Love", she said softly, brushing some tresses out of the Latina's face and cupping a burning cheek with her hand. "Calliope, you have to wake up for a bit, okay?" She got no answer, though. Callie was lying on her stomach in the middle of the bed, dead to the world except for the soft snores that left her mouth. Letting her blue eyes wander up and down the partly blanket-covered body of her fiancée, she noticed that, Callie's shirt was damp once again . "Calliope", she said again, this time a little louder before she leaned down to gently peck the brunette's cheek with her lips and then whispered, "I know you don't want to, but you have to wake up."

"Nooo", the brunette whined, burying her face deeper into the pillow.

"Yes, baby. I need you to be on your back." She thought it was the easiest way to wrap Callie's legs up. "Come on love, I'm just trying to help you."

Rolling her aching body onto her back, Callie let out a soft groan when sunlight met her still closed eyes. She didn't need to see it to know that it was there and she wanted it gone. They needed darker curtains, or better, no windows at all. She flinched when Arizona pulled away the blanket and lifted her legs one after the other. Feeling something weird beneath her legs, she wanted to see what her fiancée was up to, but just trying to open her eyes felt like someone had bumped her head against a wall. "What-?", she husked.

"We need to get your fever to go down", the blonde explained. "Please don't hate me for this." Again, it would have been funny would it not be for Callie being sick. She knew how much her lover hated cold water on her body. The Latina was always the first one to leave the tub and their joined bath-time when the water was getting just a little cold and now she could only hope that Callie's body was too groggy to react.

The whimper that left the brunette's mouth though when she set up the first leg compress told her differently. Callie's legs were – despite her weakness – kicking and almost hitting the blonde. "Calliope, stop."

"Arizona...no", the Latina pressed out and squeezed her eyes shut tightly. She felt tears rolling down her cheeks and hated herself for crying. She figured what Arizona was doing and that she was trying to help her. Figuring didn't mean that she understood why she was crying though, it made her feel like a baby. She was simply too emotional right now to stop her tears.

"Yes", Arizona replied, her voice stern although she really felt sorry for the predicament of her lover. Knowing that her fiancée would never act like this – like a child – on a normal day, she locked the second leg between her thighs while wrapping the towels around it. Putting it down gently, she got on the bed, crawled up the mattress and propped herself up against the headboard. Pulling the sick girl close to her so that her head could rest in the blonde's lap, she whispered a loving, "It's okay, Calliope" before she started to fondle her fingers through her hair again, hoping to get her to calm down. The brunette wrapped her arms around her waist like she wanted to curl herself into a ball against her lover. "I love you", she said in a low voice and let Callie cry it out.

xxx

Of course, it didn't work the first time, so not only did Arizona have to repeat the whole procedure two times, after she waited the two hours she had to torture the Latina with three more calf wrappings. It caused her pain to see her beautiful fiancée like that. But the good part was, that it finally started to work. She didn't know if it was the Tylenol or the leg compresses or maybe the combination of them both, but it finally kicked in and the fever had gone down a little and was now 102.5° Fahrenheit. Still high, but it was an improvement.

Hence why she was now letting Callie sleep some more while she was doing her best cooking her mom's special chicken soup. There was nothing like her mother's dish that could make a sick person feel good again. And Arizona, despite her worries of screwing this up had managed perfectly fine without calling her mother. Admittedly, Barbara had sent her very strict and detailed instructions with the recipe, simply because she knew her daughter and her clumsiness in the kitchen. Everybody knew that and even the blonde herself didn't make a secret of it and stayed away from the kitchen most of the time or at least from everything that was not just to put into the oven or into the microwave. Which meant that, basically, Callie owned their kitchen for at least 340 days of the year and thankfully, Callie had put chicken on the grocery list just before the weekend.. Today though, she was chef de cuisine, obviously. It might take the stupidest idiot in the world to burn soup, but she still was proud that their kitchen was not crumbling down in flames by now and that the soup smelled delicious. And that was a feather in her cap.

The noise of her cell phone buzzing on the kitchen counter startled her a little and she accidentally let the spoon fall into the simmering soup. "Jesus", Arizona cursed as hot fluid splashed on her arm. Turning around, she picked up her phone and answered the call with a bugged "Yeah?" Not bothering to look at the caller ID.

"___Oh, we are in a great mood"_, Teddy teased immediately. "___Good I actually want to talk to your better half, but for some reason, she's not answering her phone and this is kind of an emergency call!"_

"That's 'cause she's sleeping, Teds", Arizona said, fishing the spoon out of the hot liquid, carefully enough to not burn her forefinger and thumb.

"___Sleeping? We're talking about the same Callie here, right? I mean, yeah, once she's asleep, you could probably cut her hair or shave it off completely without her waking up, but it's almost 3pm. She can't seriously be asleep anymore"_, her friend wined.

"She is, Teddy. She's having a fever since last night and actually, I am relieved she is asleep. She needs all the rest she can get." Just a few hours ago, the Latina had cried so hard and unabashedly that petechial spots had started to form under her beautiful deep brown eyes. To the question if she was in pain, the brunette had nodded weakly. It was simply too much for her. The fever, the headache, the aching throat. She had thankfully calmed down after the Tylenol, though, but had denied any- and everything for breakfast.

"___Oh"_, came from the other blonde on the end of the line. "___Well... well, tell her to get well soon, please?"_

"What's wrong, Teddy?", Arizona asked, hearing the stress in her friend's voice loud and clear. She'd always been good at reading people and her friends were open books for her, even if they were not in the same room.

"___It's..."_, she trailed off for a few seconds before answering, "___I need my best friend to talk me down and since she's out of order, you need to be her substitute."_

"Geez, thanks, I love you too, Teds", she said, soft chuckles accompanying her words as she tried to lighten the mood.

"___I'm serious, Arizona!"_, Teddy almost shrieked only to apologize a moment later for screaming into the other's ear. When Arizona didn't say anything else, she took a deep breath. "___Do you and Callie... uhm... did she ever ask about... uhm..."_

"Teddy... what did Addie do?" She just knew that it had to have something to do with her red-haired friend.

"___Did anyone of you ever mention... toys?"_

"Toyf?", Arizona asked with the spoon in her mouth, not getting where her friend was coming from. The soup was missing something, but Arizona – due to her lacking knowledge in the cooking area – did not know what it was.

There was a little bit of silence before Teddy further explained, "___Yes... toys. In, you know... in bed?"_

"OH!", the blonde exclaimed. Now she knew what her friend was talking about. "Uhm... not that it is any of your business, but no. Neither me nor Calliope has ever suggest it. I don't know if she thought about it, though. I for one can say that I am more than satisfied with our sex life." She waited a few seconds, then carefully tried to approach the topic again, "I assume Addison said something about ___toys_?"

"___Yes! She asked me if I was up for it. It's... I've never_ ___used toys before. Like, never ever. I... oh God, this is so embarrassing. I'm sorry, Arizona, but I really need to talk about it with someone and normally I'd just use your girl for that... I've never needed toys. And honestly, I thought Addie thought the same. Did she say anything? Am I bad? Is she bored?"_

She really understood Teddy's worries. She'd been in slightly similar situations before, scared that the Latina had had enough of her or didn't like it anymore. They had always turned out to be nothing in the end, yet she was very aware that the feeling was nothing she wanted to experience ever again – at least not when it came to Calliope and their love. "She didn't say anything, Teds. Well, at least nothing bad about you or your bedroom activities and honestly, I am not too fond to hear about them. ___Maybe_ she just wants to spice it up a little. Experiment."

"___But how do I react? What would you say if Callie would ask you if you wanted to try them?"_

"I'd talk about it with her. I get that you're... skeptical, but you've been skeptical about your feelings for Addie now you're together for more than a year. Maybe go for it? Only if you want, of course. But seriously, talk to her about it. She's not going to bite your head off. Just be honest." Adding a little more red pepper and salt to the soup to flavor it, she scooped up another spoon full soup and smiled. It was exactly like her mother's. Maybe she wasn't that bad of a cook after all.

"___Yeah, you're probably right, I-"_

"Oh, most definitely. I am always right... and awesome", she cut her friend off with a wide grin. Turning the stove down to the lowest stage to let Callie's 'get-well-soon-soup' simmer for another ten minutes like her mother's mail said, she walked over to their bedroom, cracking the door open just a bit to peek through the crevice. Her fiancée had rolled over on the blonde's side of the bed, hugging Arizona's pillow tightly to her body.

"___And humble"_, Teddy said with a laugh. "___Okay. I'll talk to her. And thanks... for listening, I mean."_

"Any time, Teds. That's what friends are for." Just because Teddy and Callie were closer and she was more the redhead's best friend, didn't mean she wouldn't be there for her. Because in the bigger picture, all four they were really close friends.

"___Thank you. Now, take care of your fiancée. I'll see you tomorrow in lab class, right?"_

"Bright and early at 8am", Arizona answered. "Bye Teds."

"___Bye."_ And then the line went dead.

Sighing, Arizona leaned back against the kitchen counter, mobile phone still in her hand. Teddy's words had her thinking. What if the brunette was wondering about toys as well and just hadn't mention it until now? In her eyes, their sex was perfect, totally amazing. Callie was perfect in bed. Her talented tongue, licking and caressing every inch of the blonde's body. Her mouth with every kiss and suck of full lips, every nip of perfect white teeth. Tan hands, delicate fingers on her, inside of her. The way she touched her, held her close. The way the Latina felt beneath her fingertips. When Callie moaned her name in that one particular way when she was just about to fall over the edge. Just the thought of it could turn her on in no time. But, would Callie want to try something new? And if she wanted to, would she just jump on that train with her lover? Maybe Addison wanted to try because she'd been with men before. Maybe her best friend thought that Teddy would like it for the same reason.

When the phone buzzed again, this time in her hand, she almost dropped it. "Jesus, what am I? A switchboard?" This time checking the caller ID before answering the phone, she saw that 'Home' was calling. Home, no matter the city she lived in, always meant the landline of her parents' house. Home was where she grew up the most part of her life. "Hey mom", she said, thinking it was her mother checking up on her cooking skills and her fiancée.

"___Zona, it's me."_

"Timmy", the blonde smiled. Nobody else ever called her Zona. And Timmy was still the only one allowed to call her that because he was her baby – well, not so baby anymore – brother and when he started to talk he struggled with her name. That was when he came up with Zona. "How are you?"

"___Perfect, Zona! T!"_

"Okay, someone's happy", she snickered. Timmy was most likely the only Robbins' who could not hide his emotions behind a mask, yet. If he was happy or sad, he sounded and looked either happy or sad and the same applied to every other emotion.

"___So so so so so happy, Zona!"_

"And will you tell me why you are so so so so so happy?", the blonde asked with a light mocking tone in her voice, knowing that her brother would either not hear it or simply ignore it. Sibling-banter at its best___._

"___We had a tournament yesterday, Zona. A big one. Like, the biggest one we've ever been to! I don't need to mention that we won, do I?"_, he laughed. His team was one of the best at their age, winning 90 percent of their matches.

"Okay", she replied, wanting him to go on while she prepared a bowl of soup for her sick fiancée.

"___There was a talent scout, Zona. I've seen him at a few of our matches before, but he never talked to anyone of us. Yesterday though, he did. He talked to our coach, then they walked over to mom and dad and, Zona, he wants me!"_

Letting out a squeal similar to the one she'd just heard from her brother, Arizona said, "That's so great, Timmy. I am so proud of you. You deserve it. What did mom and dad say? Are you going? Where are you going?"

"___It's a full scholarship. They'll pay for school and practice. There was no way mom and dad would say no to that. It's three years, but it's the best offer in the world. I'll be traveling Europe for three years, I'll learn from the best coaches all over Europe and play with the best nations! Can you picture this? Me, playing in Spain, Italy, England, Germany, the Netherlands, France and Sweden? It's so amazing, Zona! I can't wait! And when I come back, I'll be a superstar. No, a soccer star!"_ He was so excited, he almost forgot to breathe.

"That sounds awesome, Timmy", she replied, secretly glad that this new offer pulled his mind away from joining the Marines once he turned eighteen. It was something she and her mother had feared for years, seeing how Timmy became more and more like their father. Playing soccer was not as dangerous, in the long run. Nobody got shot or blown up at a soccer game. "When are you going?"

"___After Christmas. We'll sort anything out in the next weeks. Momma is so proud, she cried. I might have to go before New Year's Eve. I don't know all the details yet. Can you believe it? I'm going to be in Europe for three years! Europe! Maybe I get to play with Steven Gerrard's son"_, he dreamed. "___He's my age and he was just capped for England's team age sixteen to eighteen. Oh my God, that would be amazing!"_

One sentence her brother had said put a damper on her giddiness and it made all her movements froze. "What did you just say?"

"___Zona, aren't you even listening? I said I'll be going away for three years and-"_

"Three years?", she interrupted him.

"___Yeah, Zona, isn't that amazing? It's a new program for soccer players, I'm only the second one to win this scholarship. The last one was a kid from Brazil, he's now one of the best keepers in the whole world and he's only nineteen years old."_

"Will you... will you get time off and be back with us?"

"___The scout said only for Christmas because that's the only time where there's no league or championship. Why do you ask, Zona? You sound... strange?"_, he asked, hearing the change of mood in his sisters voice. Thinking that his sister was just going to miss him, he said, "___I know three years is a long time, but we can stay in touch on Skype."_

"Yeah... yeah", she choked out. "I know. It's not that... You, you won't be here next summer. You won't be here in June. You won't be here for-"

"___Your wedding"_, he said when it dawned on him. Neither of them had thought about that. "___Shit..."_

It was the last word that was said before both went silent. Neither of them didn't know what to say anymore, yet, they didn't want to hang up too. It was a huge chance for him and Arizona knew that. She would never held him back from living one of his dreams. She would support him. Anything else wouldn't be fair to him. But could she get married without her brother being at her wedding?


	43. It's Build To Last Part 3

AN: After this there's only one chapter left... which is good and sad at the same time.

AN2: Also, there's a new update to The Map That Leads To You done and I'm only waiting for my beta to get back from her vacation, which will happen this weekend. So, just a few days left.

* * *

Lightning and thunder could be seen and heard when Arizona got home from the weekly Monday afternoon med school classes. She hadn't paid attention at all today. Her mind always taking her back to the phone call she'd had with her brother yesterday. After a few moments of silence, he had told her that he would find out about everything tomorrow, but she couldn't help but wonder if she was okay with getting married without her brother being there to witness it.

She shed her wet jacket and hung it over one of the stools at the breakfast bar after putting her bag down next to the counter. Smiling to herself when she noticed the TV running – Criminal Minds was on, probably one of Callie's DVDs - she approached the beautiful woman who was lying on the couch. When she'd left this morning around 7.30, she'd felt bad for leaving a still sick Calliope alone. She knew that the Latina would have told her to go anyway and she also knew that it was the right thing to do, but still, she didn't like leaving her fiancée alone when she was not feeling well. And even that the brunette's temperature had still been higher than 101° Fahrenheit had done nothing to soothe her worries. It was going down, yes, but it surely was taking its freaking time to become normal again and Arizona had never really been a patient person.

Kneeling down beside the couch, she felt her lover's forehead with her palm against it and sighed in relief when she noticed that it felt not as warm as it did this morning. Maybe it was even down to 100° Fahrenheit. To be sure, she would have to take the Latina's temperature again, but it definitely had gone down. Finally. "Hey", she whispered when Callie stirred beneath her touch. "Sleep well?"

"Mhmm", the Latina hummed and nodded lightly. Eyes still closed, she snuggled deeper under the blanket and pillow below her. The best idea her feverish mind had had was to crawl out of bed, change into fresh clothes after taking a bath to get rid of the yucky feeling and then move over to the couch, pillow, duvet and Mr. Turtles in her hands. The fluffed turtle, though really worn out and not as gorgeous in color as it used to be, was still one of the best comforters when she needed one. Of course, it could never replace Arizona or her parents, maybe even the Robbins', but when none of them was around, cuddling with Mr. Turtles worked wonders.

"Do you feel better?", the blonde asked and pulled off her shoes and also her socks since they were feeling too clammy on her feet. That was one hell of a thunderstorm out there and she was glad she made it home without getting soaked to the bone. It wouldn't take much anymore, though, her clothes were pretty much dripping. At least she'd learned to wear the hood over her head. But she would have to get out of her jeans as well and actually that needed to happen fast, but Calliope would always be her number one priority. "Do you need anything?"

Finally, brown eyes opened and the first thing Callie saw was the sweet smile on her lover's lips before her gaze moved up to get lost in bright blue eyes. "Mhmm. Do we still have some soup left?", she asked hopefully. Her voice was still hoarse and laced with sleep, but seeing Arizona's smile morph into a wide proud grin awoke her brain from its slumbering state. She did not know how the blonde had pulled off that delicious soup yesterday, but good Lord in heaven, that was one perfect dish. And aside from knowing that the return of her appetite was a good sign, she indeed felt better.

With her ego bursting from the Latina's words, she nodded and leaned down to softly peck the Latina's lips, but backed away immediately when something under the blanket was keeping her from connecting their bodies. "What's that?"

"Mr. Turtles", the brunette admitted and tucked him out from under the quilt. Years of being held tightly had let him to losing his shape. He wasn't as stuffed anymore as he was almost sixteen years ago. Arizona's Mrs. Turtle didn't look any better. But for them, they were still the most precious stuffed animals they could ever have. "I know I should be over needing a stuffed toy, but he's still good at making me feel better when you're not around."

"Just because he's old doesn't mean he has lost his magic", Arizona said cheekily. It was rare that one of them sought comfort in their respective turtle, but every now and then, it happened. The last time she had needed Mrs. Turtles was when she thought Callie would break up with her – only to find out it was quite the opposite and the Latina wanted to take the next step in their relationship. But the nights before, Mrs. Turtles had absorbed her silent tears. Maybe she just needed her stuffed green sea turtle again and the worries about Tim going away and not being here in June would be easier to bare.

Sitting up, Callie patted the spot next to her bent legs on the couch, telling Arizona to sit down. But the blonde shook her head. Brown eyes filled with concern locked on her fiancée's face as she asked, "Why not?"

"I'll reheat the soup for you and get out of these jeans." She got up from her kneeling position on the floor and wanted to leave when she felt Callie's hand gently holding her back.

"What's wrong?", the brunette asked. Now, with the fever no longer completely taking over her body, she sensed that her lover had something on her mind. She seemed... off and it set all her nerves on attention. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?" Knowing that by averting her gaze from the Latina, Arizona would only confirm the look of worries in Callie's eyes, she tried not to do it but had to give in in the end. She just didn't know how to tell her fiancée that her future brother-in-law would not be at their wedding. And what was there to tell anyway? Until now all she knew was that Timmy was going away for three years and the only time he could get time off was around Christmas. She didn't know which country he would be in when they were getting married in June. Or if it was possible for him to sneak in another two days off to be there with them. Right now, all she knew was that Timothy Robbins was granted a major chance and that she would support him no matter what.

Subconsciously tightening the grip she had on the stuffed toy that had fallen into her lap when she'd sat up a few minutes ago, she searched for her lover's eyes. "Arizona...", the Latina rasped. "Talk to me."

"Do you remember me telling you that Teddy is freaking out because Adds is asking her about toys?", Arizona tried to change the topic from what was really giving her a hard time to something way more funny, sat down and turned to face Callie.

"Huh? No. When did you tell me?" She knew her fiancée too well for not seeing that this was clearly an attempt to move away from what was really bothering her. But she also knew that Arizona would come to her when she was ready to talk. Usually it didn't take more than a few minutes of her boring her eyes into the blonde's head, but she decided to let it go for now. The day was nowhere near over yet, so she would just ask again later, maybe while she was having her soup.

A deep dimpled smile formed on Arizona's face as she said, "Yesterday. You were almost passed out though. It was right before I had to threaten you to try my soup." She chuckled lightly at the memory of her Sunday afternoon, Calliope always dozing off after being awake for barely a minute and herself trying to feed the sick woman. The Latina had not wanted to eat anything, had denied another cup of tea and just wanted to go back to sleep. And Arizona would have let her, she just wanted Callie to at least have one bowl of her soup, so she threatened her with another round of calf wraps. Not the nicest move, but it had worked. And in the end, the brunette had asked for a second helping which had made Arizona beam at her in delight.

"Totally worth staying awake", the brunette grinned. "But I still don't remember anything about toys. What toys?"

"You know, ___toys..._", she repeated the word and trailed off, insecure whether it would be a good thing to plant this idea in her lover's head or not. Pools of blue looked intensely into the Latina's brown orbs, searching for any kind of like or dislike for toys.

Still confused, Callie asked again, "Toys? You mean...?"

Not wanting to have a big elephant in the room by avoiding this topic since she practically just started it, Arizona said, "Yep. Bed room toys. Like... I don't even want to know what's out there. Did you ever-?"

"No", she answered instantly and shook her head. "Did you-?"

"No!" Arizona replied with wide eyes and affirmed, "I- I am very well satisfied with what we have. And the way Teddy is freaking out I'm not too keen to even think about trying. Do you think you want to try them?"

"I don't know", Callie shrugged. She was very well satisfied with their sex life as well and she didn't think that she was missing out on something. Arizona knew her body, her soft spots. They had both learned how to turn the other one on to the point of no return and then to push them over the edge. It was like playing a fine tuned instrument. It had taken some time to find out how it all worked and everything new had been a little scary and wary in the beginning. But they had gotten through the states of nervousness and clumsiness together and just the imagination that Arizona would be the only one she'd ever been with – because she was sure that they would just be together until their time on earth was over – it made her all tingly and happy. "I mean, how would I know, right? But... I... I don't need it to up our game or something, if that's what you wanted to know."

"Me neither", the blonde smiled, relieved that Callie and her where on the same page. Sure, she could never know what the future would bring for them and maybe one or both of them would change their minds, but for now, she didn't need to bring a toy into their bedroom. "Do you want me to heat up your soup now?"

Nodding, Callie watched Arizona getting up from the couch and leave the living room to get changed. She turned up the very low volume of the TV and was met with the sound of one of the black SUV's explode while readjusting herself, the blanket and the pillow on the couch. And of course, not to mention, Mr. Turtles safely pressed against her chest. And when Arizona came back out of their bedroom, her pair of wet jeans exchanged for one of her pajama bottoms, brown eyes followed the blonde. It was kind of weird to watch her lover doing anything else in the kitchen than setting the table or preparing bowls with cereals for breakfast, but it also looked good. Frankly, Arizona didn't look as at home behind the stove as she did, but if she wanted to change that, Callie would happily teach her how to cook a few easy recipes. "Did you call Emilia?"

"Emilia?", Arizona asked, not getting where that question came from all of a sudden.

"To check on Sarita? I don't know what the heck knocked me off my feet but I definitely don't want her to catch the same. It's bad enough that we gambled with your health", she explained, feeling bad for potentially getting her fiancée sick too.

"We didn't gamble with anything, Calliope", she countered. "I'll be fine. And I chose to be with you. Once we're married it's in sickness and in health anyway, no matter if it's a flu attack or something more serious, so don't feel bad, okay? I wanted to take care of you and I wanted to sleep in our bed in case you needed me last night." Turning away from the pot on the stove, she looked at the Latina. "And I called Emilia yesterday", she said, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips at how thoughtful Callie was. "She said that Sarita is vaccinated against almost everything because they never know when they have to put her into daycare. Apparently, sick kids aren't allowed to be around other kids."

Mirroring the blonde's smile, Callie said, "Thank you", and snuggled back onto her current 'bed'. Somewhere between suffering from her own flu, feeling like she was going to die and slipping in and out of sleep, she had been worried that she had infected the toddler. She knew about different periods of incubation, mostly something between four to seven days, but with Sarita being immunized she felt a little better, less worried. "Did anything happen today?", she asked.

With the soup simmering on a very low level on the stove, Arizona walked over to the couch and when Callie scooted back, pressing back more into the cushions of the couch, she sat down into the hollow the Latina had formed by bending her legs again. "Let me think about it. Lab class was as boring as ever and without you there to keep me company, time seemed to tick by in slow motion. That new TA of Dr. Kimmel has an annoying voice, but I guess we'll have to live with it. Anatomy class was hilarious, but that was only because of Teds and Red. You know how unfiltered Addie is and she commented ___every single student _that was walking into the room in her usual rude way with her trademark look after eyeballing them for all of three seconds. Teddy couldn't contain her laughter and she even cried when Adds dared to scold the two people who came in late." Just the memory was enough and she could tear up in laughter again, but she had better control, now.

"Damn, and I missed that?". The brunette giggled and choked up when a strong fit of coughs erupted her throat. So strong, that she had to sit up.

Putting her hand on her lover's chest and rubbing soft circles on it, she soothed, "Easy there, love." When Callie had calmed down she eyed her. "It's turning into a cold, huh?"

"Maybe", the Latina shrugged. She didn't care what it was, she just wanted it to go away and be okay again. "I'll be okay once the fever is utterly gone."

"Mhmm, thank God it's going down", the blonde replied, her smile reappearing on her face. "And to make it go away faster, I'll check if your soup is ready, okay?"

"Okay. But only if you promise to tell me what's really bothering you", Callie said, making sure Arizona knew she wasn't going to let her go away with her little excuses forever. "I know you, baby. Something is up and you're upset about it. So, why not get it off your chest and talk to me?"

"Okay", she breathed out. "I promise."

xxx

Shoveling one spoon of delicious soup after the other into her mouth, Callie stared at her lover who tried to avoid looking at her and focused on the television instead. It had been that way for a few minutes already and the blonde was shifting nervously on her spot on the couch. "Are you going to tell me, or what?", the Latina urged.

"It's not that easy, Calliope", she exhaled audibly, still not taking her eyes off the screen. She knew how much her fiancée loved her brother, they were like siblings too. They'd ganged up against her a couple of times. Timmy even went to Callie for advice when she herself wasn't there to listen to him. And he not being able to be at their wedding would hurt her love as much as it hurt her.

One last look at the squirming body next to her the brunette had enough. It was either really bad and by really bad her brain jumped to betrayal, falling out of love or something like that, or it was something wrong with one of their families. But they would have called, wouldn't they? And if any of them was seriously sick, Arizona would have been on the next flight Seattlebound, so it couldn't be the latter. "Did you do something?"

"What?" Blue eyes jerked away from the scene running on TV and stared at Callie in confusion. "What do you mean, 'did I do something'?"

"You're the one acting weird, that's why I am asking you", Callie replied and put the half empty bowl down on the coffee table. She honestly didn't hope that something had happened, but she also knew she'd gotten so lucky in her life until was her first kiss, her first love, her first everything. She had never questioned her love for the blonde. But sometimes, even when you did everything you could, things could happen and times could get rough. "You know you can tell me everything, right?" Searching for the pools of blue she loved so much, she simultaneously cupped a pale cheek. "And we can work through everything together. But right now, you are scaring me, Arizona."

"I didn't do anything, Calliope", the blonde answered. "I would never do anything to hurt you, love. You know that." Seeing the mild nod from the Latina, she continued, "And nothing is wrong with us. We're perfect. Even with a fever, you're the most beautiful person inside out I've ever known and nothing that is out there could change that."

"But something is wrong with you and instead of telling me, you're beating around the bush", she reasoned. "What would you think if you were in my shoes?" Feeling Arizona scooting closer to her and crawling under the blanket with her, she kept her eyes locked to the blonde as she was pushed onto her back, her fiancée immediately settling down on top of her. "Arizona-"

"Stop", the blonde cut her off and pressed her lips against the Latina's mouth in a lingering yet innocent kiss. "I. Love. You", she stated, emphasizing every word with another peck on full lips. "Only you. Forever, if you let me, okay? And I would never, ___never_ put us at risk." With their bodies now touching head to toe, she had to suck in a deep breath. It was ridiculous how strong her body reacted to the brunette below her and not just when they were together like this. One look was enough to set every nerve in her system ablaze for the Latina. It was like a raging fire, unstoppable, no matter how many fire fighters would try. Still being able to see the insecurities in those chocolate brown orbs when she pulled away, she straddled the Latina's legs. "Timmy called yesterday."

"Oh no. Is your mom okay? Your dad? Your grandparents?", she rushed out and then her eyes widened, "My parents?"

"They are all fine, Calliope. Don't worry." The look of horror in her lover's eyes when she asked about her parents was enough for Arizona to know that she finally had to tell her. "Timmy called to tell me that he got a full soccer scholarship. He will go to Europe to practice with the big leagues and nations. He-"

"But that's amazing, Arizona", the brunette interrupted. "That's such an amazing chance for him. He's already so good, he will be outstanding when he comes back."

Smiling softly, Arizona nodded. "He will."

"You're not happy for him?", Callie asked, not getting why the blonde sounded so sad. "I know you will miss him, baby. I will miss him too, but it's so worth it in the end. Just imagine how skilled he'll be when he gets back. We're going to have a soccer star in our family! How long will he be away? Six months? A year?"

It stung that Callie had used almost the same words her brother had yesterday. Yes, he was going to be amazing, crazily good, because she knew he would practice hard each day and push himself some more when others would take a rest. But... "It's three years and he will leave some time around New Years Day. Calliope, he won't be here in June. He won't get time off, he's only allowed to be here for Christmas." She lowered her face into her hands, not crying yet but on the verge of tears. There was no way she could get married without her brother – he promised to dance so hard at their wedding.

Pulling her lover's hands down, Callie studied her face. "That's it?", she asked.

"That's it? My brother won't be here for our wedding and all you have to say to that is 'that's it'? Yes, Callie that is exactly it!", she exclaimed, her voice filled with anger. "My brother, my baby brother might I add, will be in a freaking country of freaking Europe, kicking a freaking ball over the field while you and I get married." The look the brunette was giving her made her even madder and she tried to get off the couch but Callie held her back. "Let me go Calliope! You might be okay with my brother not being at our wedding but I am not! If it wasn't for him wanting to come into this world two weeks before his due date, I would not have been at the hospital and we would not have met. How can you be so cool with him missing this moment in our lives?"

Still keeping the fighting blonde in place on her legs, Callie tightened her grip around her waist and arm. "He won't", she stated, surprised how strong she was despite the light temperature she still had. Magic soup, indeed.

"Of course he will. There is no way he is not going to miss out on this. You said it yourself, it's an amazing chance, turtely amazing even." Why couldn't Callie understand that this was upsetting her?

"I know. And he will take this chance. But he will also be at our wedding."

"Yeah, because he can be in two place at the same time", she snorted.

Chuckling, the Latina let go of her fiancée's hand when the blonde had stopped fighting her. "Well, although I am sure, that – at one point in the future – it will be possible, that was not what I meant. And it's not even necessary to split his molecules in two, Arizona. It's way easier than that, actually."

"Care to enlighten me?", Arizona asked, a snotty tone ringing in her words.

"You said he will leave around New Year's Day, right? Why not move the date of our wedding?", she suggested.

"And wait another three years? Or two and a half if you count from the planned day? Yeah right, no way we're doing that, Calliope!", the blonde pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. They had already waited two years and she was not okay with postponing their wedding for even one day.

"That's not what I meant, baby. Counting from today and subtracting Christmas and New Year's Eve and Day, we still have almost four months left to get married. We won't keep him from going, neither will we let him risk this scholarship because we want him with us in June. But we're not forced to get married in the middle of June either. Sure, it would be nice to have a summer wedding in Seattle with our families and friends, but we can get married everywhere, every day. And if we want the weather to be on our side, we could just move the occasion to Miami and use the beach house. We can get married in the sand our in the backyard. Our closest friends and families will be there with us. A big wedding was never on the table for us. It was always just us, our families and Adds and Teddy. There's enough room in the house for everyone." She waited for a moment, wanting to read in the blonde's face if she was following her as she played with blonde tresses.

"You're saying that..." Blue eyes started to shine bright and Arizona bit her bottom lip before finishing her sentence.

"That Timmy can be there at our wedding."

"But what about our honeymoon?", she asked. "We can't just take off and leave med school for two weeks." It was one of the reasons for them to choose a wedding in June, when their first year of med school classes and finals would be over and they could just relax on the Fiji's or in Spain or wherever they wanted to go in the end.

"We can still have it. Just because we can't go away straight after the wedding doesn't mean we won't get our honeymoon", Callie smiled. "And if we choose the Thanksgiving weekend, we'll be off for a few days. We could go to New York or whatever."

"Calliope Torres", the blonde grinned widely, dimples so deep in her cheeks, Callie thought for a moment they would never go away again. "You are a genius!" She crashed her lips against the brunette's and immediately forced her tongue between them, circling Callie's the second the muscles met. Her hands slipped beneath the fabric of the sweater the Latina was wearing, nails lightly scratching along the warm skin.

Pulling away, Callie reluctantly stopped the girl atop of her. "As much as I love where this is going, I need to know first if you're okay with my plan? Because it's adding stress to everything we already have waiting for us in med school and-"

"Of course I am okay with this, Calliope! I have to call mom and dad, and Timmy has to know before he decides not to accept. And then we have to plan. It's a little over two months and we need dresses. And someone to wed us. We need rings. And, and... I need to call my parents!" Practically flying off the brunette's legs, she almost stumbled over the part of the duvet that was lying on the floor, making Callie gasp in shock before she could catch herself.

"Please don't kill yourself with all the excitement you've got going, honey", she laughed and leaned back against the cushions when all she saw was a flash of golden hair running around. Knowing that everything would turn out okay, she smiled to herself. Everything was just going to work out the way it was destined to happen. Like Arizona walking into her room and comforting her when she was crying. That was when it all started and Callie could not imagine her life any other way. And now, Thanksgiving couldn't come fast enough.

xxx

"I feel like Dr. Terrence killed my brain", Arizona said, flopping down in the booth next to Addison who was now sitting in the middle of her and Teddy. It was one of their traditions. At least one day after med school, the group of four would meet up in a restaurant, bar or diner and talk about their lives, complain about their classes and teachers, or just goof around to release some of the stress. Tonight, it was a bar and when the blonde had reached the table, there was already a drink waiting for her. "What's that?"

"Something fruity, you'll like it", Teddy waved it off and nipped on her own drink which was most likely stronger than what Callie had ordered for her fiancée. Slowly but surely, her girlfriend had talked her into drinking heavier stuff and somehow, none of them had ended up too wasted. The main reason for that was definitely the memories of men barging into their dorm room at Harvard, completely drunk and sometimes even naked.

"So...", Addison drawled out, a smug grin on her lips, "Callie said you have something for us?" Two perfect shaped eyebrows wiggling at the question.

"Oh!", the blonde exclaimed, her eyes beaming at her friends. It was two weeks after they had decided to push the wedding to an earlier date and they had finally settled for the Thanksgiving weekend and now invitations were printed. It was hard to keep it a secret from their friends, but now this was over, finally. "Right, we do. But where's my beautiful lady?" Callie should be there too, since she and their friends were supposed to walk here together and wait for her. She had spent 2.5 hours of her afternoon with Sarita, then had gone to her later afternoon class of health care – the only class she had together with neither the love of her life nor one of her friends. Boring and exhausting. The hours with the toddler though, amazing!

"Right here", came the soft voice of the Latina as she too slipped into the booth, her arms encircling her lover immediately as she leaned in for a soft peck on pink lips. "Do you have them?"

"Does she have what?", Teddy asked curiously, eying her friends with a suspicious look. It was clear the two of them were up to something.

Reaching for her bag, Arizona smiled at her fiancée. It was a good feeling to know that their wedding was only a few weeks away. Eight weeks. Okay, eight weeks and two days to be exact, but then she would finally be allowed to call the beautiful brunette her wife. "Of course I have them", she answered and pulled two envelops out of her bag and handed one over to Callie.

"Okay seriously guys, what are you up to?", the redhead interrupted the gazing looks between the couple with her snapping fingers.

"Geeez, impatient much?", the Latina laughed and held the envelope out for her best friend while Arizona did the same. "You can take it, it doesn't bite", she joked when Teddy didn't move. "I promise."

"Actually, we promise", the blonde nodded in agreement when Addie carefully took the envelope. "Seriously, guys. It's a good thing!" Watching the faces of her best friends, she took a long sip from her drink, choking a little as the liquid went down her trachea___._

Softly batting the blonde's back, Callie beamed and nodded for the other blonde to open it, "It's an amazing thing!" Of course they already knew that they were getting married, but to have an actual date instead of 'let's get married in June' was somehow really exciting.

"Come one Teds, let's do it. If we die, at least we die together", the redhead played, finally dipping her finger into the envelope to open it. "Damn, here goes my hope it would be money."

Once again, laughter erupted the brunette's throat and dark tresses fell deeper into her back when she tilted her head backwards. "Money? Addie, you don't need our money." She waited for a witty comeback, but all they got instead were two pairs of staring eyes. "What?"

"You're finally sealing the deal?", Teddy asked, going back to scanning the invitation.

"Yep", Callie nodded.

"And way earlier than planned?!", Addison asked, though it sounded more like a statement than a question. "What happened to June? I mean, not that I am not happy for the both of you. I am, really. But, do you guys know how much it takes to plan a wedding? And we need bachelorette parties, dresses, oh my God, what am I going to wear?"

"Okay, Red, calm down", Arizona laughed now too. "Most of it is already planned. We're using the beach house. Mom called me today, they've booked their flights. We still need dresses and the menu and the cake and-"

"Oooh, dress shopping! I, as you maid of honor, will go with you and make sure you'll blow your soon to be wife's mind", Addie smiled and clapped her hands in delight. Some of Arizona's habits apparently had rubbed off on the redhead.

"What's even better is the cake testing", Teddy – always the sweet tooth – chimed in and licked her lips. "You need to have at least one chocolate cake and one fruit flavored and one with cream."

Raising an eyebrow, Arizona looked intently at the other blonde. "You guys do remember that we're going to have a ___small_ wedding, right? It's just you and our families. How are we going to finish of three different cakes and dinner or lunch?"

"Well, just skip dinner or lunch", Teddy shrugged. "It's what you always want to do anyway and on your wedding day, you finally get a say in it."

"But I do too", Callie glared. "And I say two cakes for fourteen people should be enough. Plus, grandma Robbins will make her banoffee pie, so we will have three cakes."

"Banoffee pie", the three girls swooned in unison, all of them having a watering mouth in an instant just by the mention of the sweet dessert.

"Ladies, whatever it will be in the end, the main thing is, that you two are getting married this year and I say we're celebrating tonight. So, drink up, I'm going to get the next round", the redhead announced and shooed her girlfriend out of the other side of the booth to slip out herself.

"I'll come along", Teddy smiled and added, "Four hands are better than two."

After the couple left, Callie scooted impossibly closer to her fiancée, pushing her further into the booth until her back collided against the wood. Tan fingers combed through blonde locks and Arizona had to close her eyes at the contact. It still sent jolts of love through her whole system. Every touch of the Latina, whether it was loving or passionately gave her the best kind of chills.

"So", the brunette started. She let go of the golden strands and let her finger trace down the relatively deep neckline of her love's shirt as full lips curled up into a megawatt smile, "are you still sure of becoming a Torres?"

"More than sure", Arizona smiled back, looking up at her lover with shining blue eyes. Although Callie had told her that she had no problem with changing her last name to Robbins, the blonde had insisted of becoming a Torres. From the beginning, they had both agreed not to double their names into Robbin-Torres or Torres-Robbins. "I would love to be a Torres."

Leaning in, the Latina whispered a soft 'okay' against pink lips before connecting hers with Arizona's in a kiss that started out very slow but became more than just heated within a few seconds. Tongues dueled, caressed, urged on and the blonde had to swallow her own moans when Callie softly nibbled on her bottom lip. "We should... stop", she said, pushing the brunette away.

"Or leave", she chuckled. "Which would be rude, but I really ___really_ want you..." Nimble fingertips slid their way beneath the fabric of her fiancée's shirt, softly grazing up the skin of her stomach. Her lips kissed along the pale neck up to her ear. Sucking at the lope, she relished at the next low moan Arizona was not able to contain and it made her pant into the blonde's ear.

Taking a deep breath to compose herself, the blonde let out a groan, "Ugh, Calliope." It was rare that Callie got so adventurous and grabby in public. She was usually the one to stop them, stop Arizona. But every time the Latina got so touchy and kind of blunt, Arizona knew she was in for a good night.

"Okay, seriously? We're leaving you alone for five minutes and you get all handsy? One should think you'd be over the honeymoon state of your relationship", Addison deadpanned.

"You know, the problem is, they're just heading towards the real honeymoon state" Teddy laughed and put the drinks for her friends down on the table. She could easily envy her friends, but all she felt was true happiness. Sometimes two people were meant to be together and those two definitely were. "Fruit Punch and Tequila Sunrise."

"Thanks", the brunette said and pushed the fruity drink over to her fiancée.

"Here's to you two getting married", Addison raised her glass, clinking it against the other three. "May you always be this happy."

"Aaaw, Addie!", Arizona beamed, "Who knew you could be so mushy?"

"Oh, I do", Teddy chimed in with a big smile, knowing first hand that her girlfriend had a really soft side hidden behind the tough manner. "To the Torres-women!" she said quickly before the redhead would start an argument and kissed her girl softly on the cheek to stay on her good side and added a low 'I love you'.

Grinning widely, Arizona leaned her head against the Latina's shoulder as she mumbled, "Arizona Torres", against the fabric and kissed the dressed shoulder. "I can't wait."

xxx

Closing the door of their dark apartment and pressing Callie's body against it, Arizona lifted her leg between her fiancée's thighs, marveling in the moan that escaped full lips. Her hands were immediately on the Latina's breasts, squeezing and kneading them through the materials of shirt and bra. God, she loved the brunette's breasts. Firm and full, more than one of her hands alone could cup, but oh so ___so _perfect. Pink lips found a throbbing pulse point and sucked greedily on it as her lover squirmed under her touch and Arizona wanted to be everywhere at once.

The sensation of the blonde playing her body was almost too much to handle, yet it wasn't nearly enough. The thigh against her center gave her much welcomed friction and those delicate hands toying with her breasts were touches made somewhere in paradise, but it was never enough to get her off. "Arizona-"

Pulling back after biting into the delicious flesh of the brunette's neck, Arizona stared at the Latina, her eyes a pretty dark shade of blue as she took in the sight before her. Callie's flushed skin, the already ragged breathing that came out between parted lips. Pushing her leg a little stronger against the Latina's sex, eliciting a groan that started deep in her lover's throat, she crashed their lips together.

With her hands wound into blonde locks, Callie tried to push herself off the wooden surface, but only ended up being pressed even harder against it. "Ari-"

"Don't move", the blonde growled and before Callie could say anything else, Arizona captured full lips in another searing kiss. Teeth clashed in roughs movements, tongues danced in a wild tango and she was in control tonight, as she brought tan hands up over their heads. Locking them with her right hand over the dark-haired head, her left hand glided down the curvaceous body of her fiancée and without waiting for permission, unbuttoned her pants. Fingertips instantly dipped beneath the waistline of the Latina's panties, scorching heat meeting her nerve endings.

Gulping, the brunette leaned her head back against the door. There was nothing she could do to stop Arizona, who still had her hands in a tight grip. Nobody would guess that the blonde was so strong, but years of pushing water aside had paid off. When she felt lips against her throat, she bucked her hips against the hand in her panties. "Please..."

"Please what", Arizona asked, her voice husky and the desire evident in every word. Pushing her hand a little deeper into her lover's underwear, but not low enough to be where she knew Callie wanted her to be.

"Please...", was the only thing Callie could say again as Arizona's teeth gnawed at the skin over her collarbone. It was one of her weakest spots and of course, the blonde knew that and took advantage of it any chance she got.

"You have to tell me what you want", she chastised and was about to pull her hand away when a groan reached her ears. "What was that?"

"Fuck me, Arizona, just- yes!", she exclaimed when slender fingers brushed over her engorged clit in deliberate circles. Moving her hips in time with the blonde's fingers, she tried to keep herself quiet and swallow every sound that wanted to escape her throat, but the little pleads of 'More' left her lips a few times.

Wanting to give the Latina what she had asked for, she moved her fingers deeper, growling at the wetness she felt coming from between her lover's legs and coating her skin. She was dripping. "Oh God", she breathed out. Ignoring her own need, she plunged two digits deep into the brunette's sex, making Callie scream out again, this time louder than before.

"Oh yes, yes, yes", she panted with every thrust of the blonde. Her hands were still trapped over her head, her whole body was moving through every pump of her lover. But then suddenly, it stopped and the groan went from one of pleasure to one of frustration. "Why did you stop?, she asked, her eyes fluttered open and she was met with intense azure blue orbs.

"I love you", Arizona whispered and let go of Callie's hands. "I don't want a quick fuck against our door. I want to make love to you. All night long." Linking her right hand with the shivering brunette's left, she let them to their bedroom where she made quick work of Callie's shirt and pants and then her own clothes. Now completely naked, she unclasped the brunette's bra in a well-practiced move and pushed the straps over tan shoulders, kissing the skin before shoving her fiancée onto their bed. "You are so beautiful", she gushed and leaned down to take a pert nipple into her mouth, circling it with her tongue while her hand came up to caress the other one.

It felt like pure torture. She had been so close with, teetering on the edge already when Arizona had pulled away and now she felt like the blonde was enjoying to keep her in the state of torturous bliss. Every move was excruciatingly slow. Not that slow was wrong, but her body couldn't deal with the change of pace. She was on fire. "Arizona", she rasped out, her mouth completely dry and her body writhing in anticipation under the blonde.

Taking her sweet time toying with the Latina's breasts, sucking on caramel skin and flicking pebbled buds, she slowly shimmied down, kissing her way along a toned stomach. Reaching the last article of clothing, she hooked her fingers beneath the fabric to get it out of her way.

When she was lying on the bed, completely exposed to the blonde's touches, Callie inhaled deeply. Her hands starting to clench into the bed sheets below her as she felt hands sliding up her legs and goose bumps erupting where Arizona caressed her skin. If her fiancée wouldn't help her out soon, she would fly over the edge without being touched. She really needed to come.

Crawling up her lover's body, Arizona watched intensely as the brunette's muscles twitched. Her abs, her legs. She loved to make her squirm, but now the time for teasing was over – she needed to feel her too. Lowering herself so she was lying fully on top of the Latina, she rolled her hips.

"Ah", Callie pressed out as their centers touched. She felt a pale hand moving down again, parting her folds and collecting some of the moisture with her fingertip. "Fuck, what are you doing?" The only thing she could do was stare down between their bodies as Arizona parted her own lower lips as well and gulp audibly as their centers collided. "OH FUCK!" Apparently, she wasn't the only one who was wet.

Bringing her finger to her mouth, she sucked it clean, moaning at the taste and loving the flash of lust she found in soulful brown eyes. She started to move her hips against the Latina's. Slow at first, but then she needed more so she supported herself on her hands on each side of the brunette's head and bucked faster and faster until she was moving at a frantic pace.

Callie could feel Arizona's clit rubbing against her own and she thought she might die. It was such a delicious friction, just the right amount of pressure and it had her close to the edge within mere minutes. Her legs were shaking, her breathing was anything but normal and she could hear her heart beating in her ears. Looking up, she saw the blonde's face contorting in pleasure, a pink bottom lip trapped between white teeth – a telltale sign that her lover was close too. Wanting to come with her, she jerked her hips to the rhythm her fiancée had set.

A few seconds later, the bedroom was filled with loud moans and profanities, neither of them cared though. Their minds too far gone to even think about caring anymore. Bodies jerked sporadically when another wave of pure pleasure ripped through them. Arizona had collapsed atop of her fiancée when her arms had given in under her weight when she had reached her climax.

With her center still throbbing, she rolled off the Latina, still panting heavily. Best idea ever to have sex this way tonight. Moving her head to the right, she watched Callie slowly coming down from her high, trying to fill her lungs with oxygen just as much as she was. Seriously. Best. Idea. Ever.

"All night long?", Callie asked, a grin tugging at her lips.

Feeling another surge of lust rushing down to her sex, Arizona mirrored the Latina's grin as she said, "You have no idea what you're in for."

"Wanna bet?", the brunette challenged and pinned the blonde down onto the mattress just a moment later. Without wasting any more time, she moved down the slim pale body and kissed her thigh before letting her tongue swipe through her sex. Moaning at the combined tastes of the two of them, she lapped up the wetness before she latched her lips onto the pulsing clit. Fingers weaved through her hair, tightening immediately as she sucked the bundle of nerves into her mouth and within seconds, she had Arizona screaming her name again.

They spent the better part of the night worshiping each other. It was a mixture of love making, of plain right dirty fucking and of teasing. When they finally succumbed to sleep, it was already three in the morning and their first class started at ten. It didn't matter though. They would make it through the day full of more labs and anatomy classes, using the memory of tonight to fight against their tiredness. In each other's arms, nothing else mattered.


	44. The Wedding

AN: So this is it. This is the final post for TIAM 1. I hope you enjoyed the ride again or for the first time.

* * *

This was it. This was the weekend, the day they had worked their asses off for over the last seven weeks. Med school had been more than just hectic, apparently every teacher or TA thought that once you start attending their classes, you lose every right to have a private life. But they had needed at least a few hours every day to sort out the arrangements for their wedding, for the day they'd become a family, for tomorrow. And they had exactly done that. The flights were the easiest thing for everyone. Arizona and she had agreed very fast on a light menu from a catering company that had also set up the tables already a few hours ago so Barbara and Susan could have a blast on decorating them tomorrow morning. They had indeed ended up with three different cakes, one chocolate cake, one with a lot of different types of berries – the blonde's favorite, and one citrus kind of cream, plus grandma Robbins' banoffee pie. Since none of them was really religious, they had asked and found a marriage registrar to wed them, a woman in her forties, very open minded and kind.

There had been a very small argument about music which Callie had won in the end and the live band would arrive tomorrow morning 11.30am, an hour before the ceremony would start. Arizona had said that there was no need for a life band on a wedding so small, but the Latina had put her foot down on that one, partially, because she wanted to surprise her soon to be wife.

They had decided everything together, except for their dresses, of course. Arizona had gone with Addison and she had asked Teddy to accompany her and, she didn't know how her fiancée's shopping trip had gone in detail, but her best friend had been great during the twenty-five dresses she'd tried on. She was just about to give up hope when a dress had caught her eye. It looked perfect, clung to her curves and let just enough room for imagination. Simple, yet not cheap, so that dress was it in the end.

Since they had arrived this morning, almost seven hours ago, a lot had changed around here. The cleaning company had freed the house from every little particle of dust. Yes, she felt slightly bad for not doing it herself and would it have been a vacation for just the two of them, they would have cleaned it themselves. But this was for their wedding and there were simply too many rooms to clean up for two people in just a few hours. So, a cleaning company had been the best choice and while they had rushed through the rooms inside, she and Arizona had decided how they wanted the garden to be set up.

All the Robbins' and the Menken's had arrived three hours ago and of course, Barbara, Susan and Elisabeth had agreed on making dinner for everyone while the male members of their families had started to set up the garden with chairs and everything else, Daniel had even mowed the lawn before. It was now almost ready to host a wedding, the rest could and would be done tomorrow by their parents and Timmy. Barbara's parents had gotten to the house about half an hour later, followed closely by Addison and Teddy. Almost everyone was now in the house. There were only three guests not spending the night at the beach house – which frankly was more like a beach mansion with far too many bedrooms for a simple beach house, but right now, she couldn't mind at all, she loved having everybody around – and that were Emilia, Gaspar and Sarita. It had been an idea Arizona had sprung onto all of them when asking the couple if they would love to come too and if Sarita wanted to be their flower girl. The toddler didn't quite understand from the beginning, but seemed to enjoy the little white dress with the red band around her waist and the bow in the back. Plus, she was allowed to throw rose petals in the air and Emilia had said that she had practiced a lot with her Lego bricks, much to her mother's disapproval, because she'd done it throughout the whole apartment.

Now though, Callie had stolen herself away from everyone in and around the house to enjoy a little bit of the silence of the private beach. With her shoes left in the sand, she was standing knee deep in the ocean as the water flushed around her legs with every new wave that came towards the shore. Tomorrow was the day and she was looking forward to it with mixed feelings. She did not have cold feet or second thoughts, nothing like that. It was just the date that made her stomach twitch a little.

"Hey, there you are", Teddy approached her best friend and put an arm around her shoulder. "You sneaked out on everyone, huh? Needing a little time alone? I was sent out to find you and get you back, apparently, dinner will be ready soon. And let me tell you, the smell that's filling the house, a-ma-zing!" Studying the Latina's face, she missed the utter happiness in her big brown eyes. "Is something wrong? You're not trying to run away and crush Arizona's heart, are you? Because, as much as I am your best friend, my girlfriend and I will hunt you down."

Coughing up a laughter, the brunette shook her head. "God, no. I could never do this to us. I just needed a moment to think...", she trailed off, refocusing on the sun sinking into the horizon___._

"Tomorrow will be quite the day, right? It's all planned through, aside from your surprise about which, by the way I am still not too happy because you won't tell me what you have up your sleeve. Unless it is something very dirty, then I don't want to know", Teddy laughed.

"It's not that", Callie said and finally turned to face her best friend. "Do you know that tomorrow is the anniversary of my family's death? Sixteen years ago tomorrow, I lost my biological parents and my sister Aria. I could never ask for a better mom and dad than Susan and Liam, I love them and to me, they are my parents, but tomorrow is a day that hold some bad memories for me."

Quite shocked, the blonde stared at the Latina. Of course she knew that Callie was adopted by the Menken's and the brunette had told her about the accident. She didn't know that it was so close to the anniversary of all of it. "Why'd you chose tomorrow as your wedding day, then. Isn't that kind of... I don't know... sad?"

"Well, you know we pushed the wedding because we want and need Timmy to be here with us. So, when we talked, and I mean really talked about the date, we settled for the Thanksgiving weekend, to get a few days off afterwards to relax, you know? We didn't know it would clash with the day of my family's death at first. And when we found out, Arizona told me that we could just move it again, that a week later wouldn't be a problem. But I did not want that. I wanted it to be tomorrow. I thought and still think that it is a good idea. I guess I just needed a few minutes away to think about them, if that makes sense?", she asked insecure.

Pulling her best friend into a long hug to comfort her, she answered with a warm, "Perfectly." When she let go of the Latina, she noticed the change in her eyes. "You've got your vows?"

"Already memorized", the brunette answered. "I just hope I won't forget them. You know I'm not good at giving speeches, especially not to more than one person." And not to forget her surprise where she would have to do a similar thing.

"You'll be fine", Teddy assured the bride. "You're going first, right?"

"With the speech? Yeah. There's no way I'd be able to say anything if she would go first. The Colonel will lead Arizona down the aisle first, though. I can hardly wait to see her. I bet she'll look amazing. You've seen her dress, did you? Or a picture?" Leaving the water, they both picked up their shoes and started to walk back towards the house.

Grumbling and scoffing, the blonde finally nodded. "I did. But only after I threatened to withhold sex from my girlfriend until the wedding, which led to her threatening me with the same if I would tell you what it looks like. But I can tell you, that it's just made for Arizona and that it will blow your mind", she said with a wink in the Latina's direction. "You found a number for underneath your dress?"

All Callie could do at this question was grin in response. Because the 'number' she'd gotten for underneath would make Arizona's mouth water, make her gulp and her eyes widen, it was that good. A cute little white lacy thing, almost see-through with two deep red little bows on each side. There was a matching bra to it which made her chest look marvelous, but she could not wear that under her dress, she still bought it though. "Oh yeah, I did."

"Okay, I'm not going to ask." Teddy laughed and threw her head back. They brushed the sand of their feet and ankles and then walked back into the house through the glass doors and ended up in the kitchen. "I found the lost bride!", the blonde announced loudly, making heads spin around.

"Calliope!" Arizona beamed immediately. "Where have you been?"

Closing the gap between them as Teddy left them alone, the Latina pecked pink lips and smiled down at her fiancée. "Just down by the water. Needed a few minutes away from everything." When she tried to pull away, Arizona held her back, silently asking with her eyes if the brunette was okay. "I'm good, really."

"Okay", she answered slowly, sensing that it had probably been about tomorrow. She would have understood if Callie would have wanted to change the date. Days off or not, it would have been for a very good reason. "Can you believe it? It's our last night as an engaged couple. Come noon tomorrow, I'm officially taking you off the market, forever."

"You have taken me off the market a couple of years ago, Arizona", the brunette chuckled. "But I know what you mean. I don't need papers saying that we love each other, but somehow, it's nice to know that it will be official."

Smiling at the brunette, Arizona hopped of the stool she was sitting on and flung her arms around her fiancée's neck. Just when she was about to lean in, they heard someone clearing their throat behind them.

"You're just back in time, hon. Dinner is ready and waiting for us in the dining room", Barbara said as she came back into the kitchen to get two more spoons and a sharp knife.

"Thanks Barbara, it smells amazing", the Latina nodded and took her lover's hand. "Come on, let's not keep our guests waiting.

"I could have gone with just a few minutes of you and me alone", the blonde mumbled. She enjoyed having all those people here, really. But, she barely got to spend some private time alone with her fiancée and she didn't mean just today. They had been so busy between med school and arranging everything the last weeks, she was so looking forward to the few days in New York where it would just be Callie and her.

Walking into the room, the Latina noticed that everybody was indeed already waiting for them. "You could have started without us, you know?", she said with a soft smile and pulled the chair back for Arizona before she sat down next to her. Feeling her brother-in-law's eyes on her, she laughed, "Go ahead Tim, we all know you're starving."

"Thank God!", the boy exclaimed and reached out for the potatoes, ignoring the snickers and chuckles. He was hungry, probably just about to have another burst of growth and setting up the garden had been quite the workout.

"Well, dig in everybody", Arizona laughed while watching her brother filling up his plate with everything he liked.

"Have you thought about the traditions?", Elisabeth Robbins wondered when she handed the beans over to her husband who looked a little grossed out by all the veggies on the table. In his eyes, a good dinner could consist of only meat, and he'd be perfectly fine with it.

"We did", the blonde answered. "And we have agreed to put a little bit of blue in our hair. The dresses are new, but the rest? I mean, our wedding is not very traditional, since we're two girls getting married... do we need the rest?"

"Of course you do!", Teddy and Addie exclaimed in unison, then looked at each other and laughed.

"They are right", Susan agreed. "And your dresses don't count as new. They are new, sure, but they are your wedding dresses and this is something different." Sharing a look with Barbara, she nodded and reached behind her. "What did you have in mind for your hair?", she asked, wanting to distract the girls.

"Sorry mom, we can't tell", the Latina answered immediately with a grin. She was almost a hundred percent sure that Arizona would have a blue butterfly in her hair, but she had chosen a light blue flower, but they promised not to give away any detail before the wedding and that included everything.

"Okay, there goes my plan of finding something out", Susan laughed. Looking over to the blonde, she said, "But, your parents and we agreed to get something new for you two. See it as a present." Pushing the jewelry case over the table in front of the girls, they all waited for a reaction.

While Arizona tentatively reached out for the case, Callie stared at her mom with her mouth open. "There was no- I mean- You shouldn't-" Seeing the stern face of her father and Daniel, she swallowed. "Thank you." Her eyes locked onto the pale hand that belonged to her fiancée as she opened the lid. The inside, as well as the outside was a dark shade of silky blue and on top of it were two white gold necklaces, each with a heart-shaped pendant on it. "G-guys", Callie stuttered.

"Mom...", Arizona chimed in. The necklaces were so beautiful, so delicate. The hearts were not too big, yet not too small, just perfect. Such a beautiful piece of jewelry. And it went so well with the wedding rings they had chosen for themselves. The bands were simple, white golden and with three little diamonds encased into each of them. Each one had chosen two words to be engraved on the inside, and without knowing what the other one had gone with, it was the same. Arizona's ring said 'mi amor' and Callie's said 'my love', each accompanied by the wedding date.

"It's nothing, really", Barbara said instantly. "We got something from our parents for our wedding too, something new for the luck and something-"

"Old from the grandparents", Elisabeth finished her daughter-in-law's sentence and held two pairs of pearly studs out for the blonde. "I inherited them from my mother and gave one of them to your mom on her wedding day so she had something borrowed. This time though, they're representing something very old."

Tearing up a little, both, Callie and Arizona wiped their eyes to hide it. The brunette even sniffed quietly. None of that did go unnoticed, though.

"Hey, no tears, you two", Addison said. "You should eat instead, before it gets cold."

"Your friend is right, Dimples", Daniel agreed, smiling widely at his wife. His daughter looked so happy, probably the happiest she ever looked, she was practically glowing. If someone would have asked him ten years ago if he was okay with giving his daughter away on her wedding day, he would have probably answered that there was no man out there that would ever be good enough for his baby. And this was still his opinion, well, with one difference. There was no other human out there that would ever be good enough, except for Calliope. So, yes, he was okay with giving his daughter away tomorrow. "We all should eat, in fact."

Although she nodded, Arizona still put her fork down. "Thank you", she said, still fighting her emotions. "So, we have everything now, right?"

"You're still missing the borrowed stuff", Teddy reminded her. "And before you ask, you can't use the studs. Each thing has to be different. But, because we are the greatest best friends in the world, we have that covered."

"What, you're going to let me borrow Addison to marry her instead?", Callie joked and everybody laughed, even Arizona who found the look and the open mouth on the redhead's face more than just amusing.

Addison on the other hand, was not that amused. Sure, she could not deny that the brunette was hot, but, aside from the truth that Callie would never ever dream of marrying someone else, she too loved her girlfriend too much to let her go. "Oh ha ha, Callie. We actually thought we help you getting ready tomorrow and do your nails tonight."

"Our nails?", Arizona asked and looked down at her fingernails and pouted. "Our nails are perfectly fine."

"Oh yeah? Are they? Dark green and bright pink?", she asked, pointing at the Latina's fingers and then at the blonde's who was sitting across from her. "Not exactly going well with your dresses or a wedding in general."

Looking at each other, the engaged couple shrugged their shoulders before answering, "Fine." They knew it was no use to argue with the redhead and she did have a point, somehow, even it was a very small point.

Conversation went freely and with an easy banter throughout the whole dinner and after that. The men stuck together, as did the mothers and grandmas___._ The families got along great as always and kept to their promises not to ask every few seconds if the brides were nervous. Even Teddy and Addie kept their words and avoided that one question although it was nagging them. Timmy had pouted a little when he didn't get a second helping of the dessert, but he would have to live with it.

It was around 10pm when everybody decided to call it a night, went upstairs and head to bed. After all, the had an eventful day ahead of them.

"Where do you two think you're going?", Addison's voice hollered through the corridor when Callie and Arizona where about to slip into their room, making them stop and freeze for a second

"To bed, Addie", the brunette answered and turned around, seeing their friends walking towards them.

Stopping when they reached the couple, Teddy gave them a look up and down. "Yeah, we can see that. But, I am sorry, no."

"No? What do you mean, 'no'?", Arizona asked confused. "This is our room, isn't it?"

"Not for tonight. Spending the night before the wedding together is bad ___bad luck_", the redhead explained. "So I'll be staying with you and Callie will stay with Teddy. And no funny business, missy, I mean it."

"Addie", the Latina sighed, "come on. We're spending every night together, hell, we're living together already. It's just a night like any other night."

"It's not. This night is special. You may not agree-"

"We don't! We can't even sleep without the other nearby", Arizona countered. It was pathetic, but it was the truth. Ever since they had moved in together and got used to the other one being there every night it was hard falling asleep alone. Of course, having a fever or the simple fact of being exhausted sometimes came in handy, but she was more than sure that she would have troubles falling asleep tonight with all the excitement and happiness keeping her up. And with Callie not being there to cuddle, yeah, that would be a restless night.

"Stop giving me puppy dog eyes, Arizona, I mean it. You are not spending the night together and if that means I have to tie you to your bed, I will."

"But-"

"No. See, we even got some help for you", Addie said and took the paper bag from her girlfriend's hand. Reaching in she grabbed the first plush turtle she got and shoved it into the stunned blonde's_arms_. Then she repeated the whole thing and placed the second object against the Latina's chest, thinking she'd done it right. It was Teddy's idea to bring Mr. and Mrs. Turtles for tonight. They knew their friends long enough to know that they would not be okay with their plan and argue with the same reasons they had just done. When her friends cracked up laughing though, she realized she mixed it up. "Seriously? You're laughing at me? How do you even keep them apart?"

Still giggling as they exchanged the stuffed animals, the Latina said, "Well, that's easy. Mr. Turtles' green is not as dark as Mrs. Turtles' green."

"Cause he's older", the blonde added with a big smile. "Okay, fine", she agreed. "But, if you get touchy in your sleep, remember that you are touching my wife, got it?" The death glare she shot in the other blonde's direction made sure that she meant business.

"No touching at all, I promise", Teddy replied. "Now, say good night and before you know it, it will be morning and you're getting married with fresh polished nails."

"Again about the nails," Callie said and rolled her eyes. Cupping her fiancée's cheek with her free hand, she pulled her closer for a soft good night kiss. "I love you."

"I love you, too. I see you tomorrow for breakfast, okay?"

"Nowhere else I'd rather be", Callie smiled and connected their mouths once again. Sweeping her tongue along a pink bottom lip, she moaned when Arizona eagerly welcomed her. Her hand moved down to the blonde's hip, holding her close as long as she could.

Having enough, Addison invaded the personal space of the couple. "Seriously guys, it's ___one_ night. You can handle ___one _night apart. And you got the turtles and me or Teddy to keep you company. So, stop the sappy lovey dovey stuff and get to your rooms. Marsh", she ordered.

"Geez, okay, Adds. Keep it down or I might accidentally tell my father that you would enjoy a run with him at the crack of dawn", Arizona laughed. Finally parting from the brunette, a sigh left her mouth as she stepped into their room, alone. "Good night, love."

"Good night, Arizona."

xxx

This was it. This was the moment she had dreamed about for so many years. When she'd woken up this morning after a rather restless night with only Mrs. Turtles to cuddle, she had dragged her grumpy red-haired best friend down for breakfast. Surprisingly, everyone – including her sleepyhead of a fiancée – was already waiting for them, but she could barely manage to eat anything. The nerves had been already getting the better of her, so she'd stayed away from most of the food. When everyone had finished and gone their separate ways to get ready, decorate or whatsoever, she'd taken a long and hot shower and then Addison had helped her getting ready before leaving her to get dressed herself. So, here she was now. Alone, standing in front of the full body length mirror, studying her reflection.

She had turned to the left, to the right and then to the left again, watching in awe as the woman in the mirror matched her every move, not believing her own eyes. The white dress clung to her chest, making her cleavage look the best it had probably ever looked as it encased each breast on its own. Just under her breasts was a band added that ended on the back and Addison had tied it into a nice bow. One delicate white stripe over each shoulder made sure that she would not accidentally lose it and the rest of the silky material flowed freely down her body. Addie had done a little masterpiece with her hair. It was still in it's natural golden tresses, some strands tugged back with white small butterflies, while others curled their way loosely yet perfectly over her shoulders and down her back. One butterfly though was blue, of course, a blue that matched the color of her eyes. She had the new necklace around her neck and her grandmother's pearly studs in her ears. It was somehow still herself who she saw in the mirror, but somehow this woman looked so much more adult. She had to admit, though, she felt a little naked without her engagement ring. Startled by the knock on the door, Arizona took her eyes from her reflection in the mirror for the first time in what must have been ten minutes.

"Hey Dimp-", Daniel started but stopped as he entered the room. The young woman he saw could not be the baby girl he had brought home from the hospital all these years ago, simply because it seemed like it had been yesterday. There was no doubt that his daughter was beautiful, but looking at her now, he could only see a young strong woman they'd raised and not so much the child she would always be in his eyes. Swallowing the lump that was about to form, he cleared his throat. "I found this little whirlwind running up and down the hall", he said, nodding to the little girl who was holding his hand.

"Sarita", the blonde smiled at the toddler.

"Aizona pwetty", the little girl said as she looked up at the blonde. She was wearing a white dress herself, cut just a little bit under her little knees and a deep red band around her waist. "Aizona, me fowa giwl."

"Aaaw, don't you look pretty, Sarita", Arizona beamed and scrunched down, careful to not mess up her dress or hair. "Where are your parents?" She knew very well about the toddlers habit of running away. It wasn't a problem as long as she was in this house or even their apartment building in Baltimore, but a grocery store or the park were not good places for sneaking away.

"No sé", she shrugged and then repeated, "Me fowa giwl."

"That you are, cutie pie." Standing up she looked at her father and saw his glistening blue eyes. "No crying, daddy. If you cry, I will cry too and that will only lead to Addison being mad about doing my make-up again", she joked. Her father, the Colonel, dressed in his uniform with all the decorations he got over the years of being a serving marine stood in front of her on the verge of tears. Something that rarely happened.

Barely able to take his eyes away from his daughter, he said, "You are so beautiful, Dimples. Sometimes I like to forget that you are not five years old anymore. Are you ready to become a Torres?"

"It feels like I was born ready, dad. Is everything-"

"Perfectly", he cut her off and soothed her nerves with just this simple word. "Timmy made sure the aisle is separated from the chairs, the live band is here, as is the marriage registrar and Susan and your mom decorated everything. They are dressed as well, so everything is good to go and ready when you are."

"I am", she sighed. "Have you seen Calliope?"

Shaking his head in response, he couldn't contain the smile as the blonde pouted at him. "I've seen your maids of honor downstairs though and Liam was right behind me when I walked up the stair, so I assume Calliope is ready too and can hardly wait. Or she is fighting her nervousness."

"Oh God, me too. So nervous! What if I mess this up, daddy? What if I forget my vows? Or, oh my God, what if I faint because I forget how to breathe?" She felt a surge of panic rush through her veins and it wasn't even the first one this morning. Addison had calmed her down the first time while doing her hair. But now her hands were actually shaking.

"Did you know that I was the same while waiting for your mom? I kept staring at the door tapping with my left foot, hoping she would not have had a change of heart and run for her life", he chuckled. Getting a quizzical look from his daughter, he continued. "It's not easy to be married to a marine, and she knew that. Luckily for me though, she loved me enough."

"She would never have left you", Arizona agreed.

"The thing is, as soon as I saw her, guided by the arm of her father, everything around me faded and there was only us. She was walking towards me and the rest of the world didn't exist in that moment. Your mom was a very beautiful bride, Arizona, and knowing that she was my bride, going to be my wife, made my nerves go away."

Feeling the tears welling up again, she took a few deep breaths and let them out through puffed cheeks before looking at the toddler again. Her father was right. There was no need to be nervous. She would wait for Liam to bring Callie down the aisle, probably be staring at her gorgeous Latina and she would not forget to sign the papers with Torres instead of Robbins.

Sarita, still holding on tight to Daniel's hand with her own little hand and playing with the hem of her dress with the other, grind up to her. "Aizona mawwy today?"

"Yes. I will marry Calliope today. Now, actually. And you will be the best flower girl the world has ever seen", she smiled and nudged the little girl's nose with her fore-finger which got her another toothy grin in return.

"Are we ready then?", Daniel asked again and held his arm out for his daughter. "Or do you need anything else.

"No. I am good", she answered and let herself be led out of the room and downstairs. Peeking through the glass doors that led into the garden – whoever had thought that it was a good idea to have glass doors on every side – she saw everyone already sitting on one of the chairs. Her two sets of grandparents, her mother and next to her, her brother. There were two chairs not taken in the first row, waiting for Liam and her dad. Gaspar and Emilia had chosen to sit in the last row. There wasn't necessarily an order. Everybody could sit where they wanted, although, of course it was clear that their parents and her brother would be sitting the closest to the front. She was only surprised that her mother was not using a tissue already.

"What would you do without me?", Addison's voice reached her ears. "Right! You'd walk down the aisle without your flower bouquet". Grinning at her, the redhead handed her the bunch of red and white flowers and was with a quick friendly kiss on her cheek and the words 'I see you in a minute' out through the doors and told the band to start playing the wedding march.

"Last chance to run, Dimples", Daniel joked.

"No way", came her immediate response. She knew she was not allowed to turn around although Callie was most likely already standing on the staircase. If she did turn around though, she would see her and forget to walk. So, when her father started to move, she happily complied and followed his every step. She knew that everybody was staring at her right this second, but it didn't bother her. This was her day, their day and they were allowed to stare. The grass beneath her bare feet felt cold, yet amazing and she knew it was a good decision not to buy shoes – not knowing that Callie had made the same decision. Her dress was long enough that it reached the ground and every time she put her foot down, she hoped she wouldn't trip. But, her dad told her yesterday, everything was going to be fine and she trusted him as he walked her down the aisle, within the lines of white rose petals and slowly enough for Sarita to scatter the grass with red ones.

Reaching the end of it, her father kissed her forehead and stepped aside. The musicians had stopped for a few seconds, getting a few glimpses of the bride as well and give the little flower girl enough time to walk back to the door. She looked over to her best friends who were standing only three feet away from her and saw that Teddy had already tears in her eyes. Once the music started playing again, Arizona's eyes were fixed to the other end of the aisle again and when Callie finally came into view, she couldn't help but gasp, "Oh my God."

Callie's dress was strapless, a perfection of white that contrasted beautifully with her flawless caramel skin and she just looked breathtakingly stunning. It looked like it was sewed onto the Latina's upper body and Arizona couldn't take her eyes off of her fiancée. Those magnificent shoulders and arms she always had had a weak spot for. The necklace glistened in the sunlight and she could see the blue flower in her lover's hair, keeping her bangs in place as Callie's radiating smile appeared and she knew it was just for her.

"She only has eyes for you", Liam stated, his lips barely moving as he said those words. His daughter had a good grip around his arm, the other hand fumbling with the flowers in her hand. "Don't be nervous."

"I can't help it. Have you seen her?", the brunette whispered. "She looks amazing." Her eyes had traveled down to a delicious cleavage and instantly moved up again to stop herself from drooling in front of everyone. This dress was a tease, but then again, so was hers with the clinging corsage. She had to lift the material up a little as she was walking towards Arizona.

"Who gives this bride to this bride?", the marriage registrar asked when Callie had made it to Arizona.

"That would be me", Liam smiled, kissed his daughter's cheek and picked up the flower girl to bring her back to her mom before sitting down next to his wife who instantly took his hand. Chuckling lightly as he saw Barbara doing the same with Daniel's, both woman already sniffling softly, he locked his eyes on the scene before him.

"You look-", Arizona stopped and took a breath. There was no word good enough to describe how beautiful Callie was to her.

"You too", the Latina smiled and took her hand as the woman in front of them cleared her throat. "Sorry... "

"Dearly beloved, we all came here today, to witness these two people committing their lives to each other. I talked to Calliope and Arizona before and I must say that a love like theirs, a love in its purest form is something so rare, something so magical, that it took my breath away. It's my pleasure to be here with you today. Now, these two have chosen to give their own vows to each other. May I have the rings?"

Immediately, Timmy stood up and handed her the silver plate with the rings on it.

"These rings are a symbol for love, for loyalty, for faithfulness. They are a symbol of trust. You shall trust each other with everything, every weakness, every worry, trust that the other one will always be there without judging you. If I would tell you, that marriage will always be easy, I would lie to you. There will be hard times, times where you think you need to run away from it all. Run, but always make sure to run into each other's arms." She held the plate put for the brunette to take the ring. "Your vows, please."

Inhaling deeply, her brown eyes found pools of deep blue beaming up to her and she reminded herself once again to not mess this up. "Arizona, 16 years ago today, I thought I had lost everything. I was alone in a hospital bed and my family was dead. How could I have known that, only three days later, a bubbly girl with blonde curls and blue eyes would make it all better? That she would be the one for me and that she would give me a family of my one day? I didn't know. But what I knew was, when you came into my room, I had hope. You made me smile and forget about the rest for a few hours every day." Her voice had become stronger with every spoken word. Gone were the shivers, gone were the nerves. Holding Arizona's left hand with her right, she took the ring with the fingers of her left. "Over the years, we got closer and closer and though you have always been my best friend, I felt something else for you. Love. I didn't know what love was supposed to feel like but I knew what I felt with you was unconditional love and happiness. You make me strong. You make me want to be a better person, the best I can be." Taking another deep breath as her gaze flickered between her love's hand and her eyes, she finally continued, "Sixteen years ago today, something happened that will always be a sad memory for me. But, standing here with you today, in front of our families and friends, we're adding a happy memory to it. I promise to love you every day and if I can, every day a bit more than the last. I will stand by you through everything the universe might throw in our way and I will always try my best to be the woman you see in me. I promise that my love for you will not stop, until my heart stops beating." Softly slipping the ring onto Arizona's finger, she said the final words with a smile. "With this ring, I take you, Arizona Robbins, to be my wife. I tie my life to yours forever."

Quite stunned by the Latina's words, the blonde didn't know how to react, what to do. She saw their mothers drying their tears as she blinked back her own. Callie's words had left her speechless.

"Arizona?", the marriage registrar asked after a moment of silence.

"Wow. How am I supposed to top that?", she chuckled, making the audience and Callie laugh too. Her left hand automatically sought out the brunette's cheek, placing it gently against the soft warm skin. "Calliope, when I sat down and wrote my vows everything seemed to be not good enough, not perfect and you deserve perfect. Because, that's what you are. To me, you are perfect", she added nervously. Taking a second to compose herself and wet her lips, her eyes locked on brown orbs again. "I think, looking back, that I have, in a way, always loved you. I looked up to you, I admired you. The first time you kissed me, my heart stopped and quickened at the same time. Being in med school, we know that this is not possible, but I could have sworn I had died the second your lips touched mine oh so softly. But it was also the second I knew it had always been you. You're my first love and I'll be damned if I don't make you my last as well." Her hand glided down from her cheek and she reached out for the ring, her fingers trembling just as much as Callie's had done before. "Today I promise you to love and cherish you and our love every day we get to spend on earth and beyond. You are my soul mate. You are the reason I keep pushing myself further and reach the goal we set for ourselves. Well, you are the one to push me if I want to give up and give me some faith in myself back when I think it's getting too tough", she said with a soft giggle. "With this ring, I take you, Calliope Torres, to be the one with whom I spend my life. I tie my life to yours forever." Slipping it onto Callie's finger, she linked their hands as they turned back to look at the woman to sign the certificate, never letting go of her wife's hand as she did it. Her wife. That sounded so... so... turtely amazing!

"I hereby happily pronounce you wife and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Not needing to be told twice, Callie pulled the blonde as close as possible and claimed pink lips in a soft kiss. Their first kiss as wife and wife, as Mrs. and Mrs. Torres. She knew she should not let it turn into a heated make-out session in front of everyone, and she knew it was ridiculous to think that this kiss was any different from all the others, yet she felt like it weighed more. Finally parting, she rested her forehead against her wife's. "I love you, Arizona Torres.

"I love you too", the blonde whispered, a lonely tear trickling down her cheek. "So _so_ much."

xxx

She felt like she'd received at least a hundred congratulation hugs, most of them from her – now official – mother-in-law. Barbara had still been sniffling and blinking back tears fifteen minutes after they had sealed their commitment with a long kiss and been introduced as Mrs. and Mrs. Torres by the very kind marriage registrar. Her mom had been the same with Arizona and of course, the other guests wanted to hug them too. All she had really wanted was to stay where she was, sitting at the table with her wife next to her and enjoy the rest of the day. But she had had to set the ball in motion for her surprise so she had once again stolen herself away from her family and friends.

Talking to the musicians for a moment and feeling Arizona's eyes on her all the time, she took her glass, softly clinking against it with a tea spoon from the table. "Uhm, sorry?", she started, getting the attention of everyone with just these two words. "So... everybody who knows me, knows that I am definitely not good at giving speeches. I had planned and practiced my proposal for weeks and don't get me started about the vows", she laughed. "But, today is special and while thinking about the perfect present for my wife – Jesus, it feels so good to call her that – I came up with the only thing she always asked me to do and probably the only thing I was always able to say no to. So today, I am breaking this pattern." She looked at the live band for a second and then brown eyes met blue, a small smile ghosting over lips as she tried to block out all the other people.

The music started, piano tunes accompanied by the softest sound a violin could produce. Her hands were quivering, and so were her feet but thankfully, no one could see them. She soothed herself by curling her toes into the grass below before the opened her mouth, begging for her voice not to crack. Thank God she didn't have to do it with a microphone.

_"If you'd gone your way  
And I'd gone mine  
We wouldn't be standing  
Where we are tonight"_

Watching and listening beyond stunned as the amazing voice of the Latina filled the air, Arizona thought she froze – in the best way possible. Every nerve in her entire being focused on her wife willingly serenading her for the first time ever. She couldn't think of a better present.

_"The room is silent  
All eyes on me and you  
I guess it happens  
Dreams really do come true"_

There was no denying that there were tears spilling over the brim of blue eyes and as much as Arizona tried to fight them, it was impossible. Callie looked like singing in front of a bunch of people was something she'd be doing her whole life. So confident, so strong

_"Be my shelter  
Be the one  
Be the witness to all that I become  
We'll have our moments  
There'll be hard times  
But I'll forgive your sins if you forgive me mine"_

Taking one last breathe, she prepared herself for the chorus. It was part of the lyrics that fit in so many ways for their relationship. She closed her eyes, let the music guide her towards it and then sang,

_"All the good in my life  
Everything that is right  
Now I know where life is taking us  
This love has brought us so far  
Don't ever change who you are  
Never think that you're not good enough  
You're more than perfect for the both of us"_

And that was all it took for the blonde to stand up and walk towards her wife with shaky legs. Out of the corners of her eyes she had seen her mother taking out yet another tissue and although she was crying too, she needed to be close to Callie.

_"Let's write the pages  
Build a home  
From this day forward  
You will never be alone"_

Gladly taking the hand her wife was offering her, the brunette smiled when Arizona intertwined their finger's and she could feel the blonde's wedding band against her skin. Unconsciously, she started to feel for her own. Of course it was still there, but somehow, it still felt so surreal.

_"When we're dancing  
Barefoot in the hall  
If you should stumble  
I will not let you fall_

_All the good in my life  
Everything that is right  
Now I know where life is taking us  
This love has brought us so far  
Don't ever change who you are  
Never think that you're not good enough  
You're more than perfect for the both of us"_

The last notes of the song filled the air around them as Arizona pulled Callie close. Cupping her cheeks with both hands, she crashed their lips together, pouring everything she felt into the kiss. Practically melting into the soft caresses, the Latina felt all the air leaving her lungs as the blonde didn't let her pull away. When she finally let go, she saw the flush on her wife's cheeks and gently wiped her thumbs along them. "I love you so much, Calliope Torres", she whispered and claimed full lips for another quick kiss.

"We should probably get back to our places... ", the brunette trailed off, brushing her fingers through golden curls without ruining her wife's hair.

"Yeah, I guess you're right, my beautiful wife", Arizona said, smiling from ear to ear, dimples deep into her cheeks. "I can't believe you sang for me."

"Yeah, I can't believe it either, actually", she answered, chuckling as they walked back to the set up tables. All eyes were staring at them, staring at her. "What?"

"You did not just sing like that!", Addie exclaimed slack-jawed. "You were holding out on us, Ms. Torres."

"Hey, that's Mrs. Torres now", Arizona countered and squeezed her wife's hand a little firmer. "And you really don't get to complain about anything. I know her longer than anybody else around here and it was the first time she really sang to me. You know, usually, she stops dead in her tracks when she notices that I am listening."

"It's a shame", Daniel said, nodding in agreement with his daughter's words. Rising from his chair, he took his glass and cleared his throat, silencing everybody immediately. It was this whole marine thing that made everybody comply instantly. "My wife and I met Calliope when Arizona dragged her into my wife's patient room at the hospital. The little girl I can still see so very clearly in my memory had all of us wrapped around her little finger by simply being herself. Even Timmy, who was just born then, had felt that she was special. He used to cry every time somebody that was not his family picked him up or held him, except for when he was in Calliope's arms. Barbara and I, we kept saying that once these two got older, they would break a lot of boys' hearts. Well, we were right, because I am sure there were some broken hearts because of them", Daniel smiled, his eyes never leaving the newlyweds. "But the most remarkable thing was the way they acted around each other. They were in tune from the start. It is a bond made in heaven. When one moved, the other one moved too, even in their sleep. When one was sad, the other one could cheer her up in no time." Smiling at the next memory, he continued, "I remember the day I chaperoned the elementary school's kids marathon. Arizona, although she had always been full of energy, was not as fast as the other kids because she was a year younger and shorter and let me tell you, she did not like it." Everybody laughed at that, most of them knowing how eager the Robbins' siblings were when it came to sports. "But then I saw that Calliope instantly slowed down to run side by side with my daughter, and just like that, Arizona smiled again which made Callie smile in return." He noticed the glistening eyes of his daughter and daughter-in-law as he continued. "I could never have asked for a better person for my daughter. I will forever be thankful to whoever brought Calliope into our lives, to whoever gave my daughter the soul mate she was bound to find. May your love blossom every day", he ended his speech, raising his glass one final time as he heard the sound of glass meeting glass.

"I wanna say something too", Timmy started without standing. He looked at his sister and then at Callie. "Just a few words. I have always loved you, Callie, somehow you have always been like a sister to me. You helped me in school, you were at my soccer games, cheering for me and you even defended me from my sister when she was being a meanie", he said with a wink towards the blonde. "Arizona, I think there is no better older sister out there than you. You're the best, you're amazing. You two are amazing and I love you guys. And when I come home over Christmas next year, you better be there too."

Laughing at her brother's words, Arizona looked at the stunning bride to her left. They definitely were amazing, especially together. She thought that, at some point, her smile would have to fade away today, or that maybe the muscles in her face would become sore from all this smiling, but so far, she couldn't wipe it off. And even as the next man stood up to give a speech, she still smiled. The sooner they got over the speeches, the sooner she'd finally get some cake.

"When these two were young", Liam began, but then he changed his mind. "No, let me start anew. Being granted custody of Calliope not only got us a little girl we fell in love with on the very first meeting, it also got us new friends. People we both, my wife and I had seen several times on the street or at the grocery store. Seeing that we always lived so close, it was strange that we've never talked to each other before. But, as it was, the Robbins' were already a part of the little girl's life and she really liked and trusted them. Not just Arizona, but all of them. So we bonded and became friends. Years back, Daniel and I would sit together and joke around about getting guns ready the day one of our girls would get picked up by her first date or crush." Of course, everybody laughed again. "And believe me, I would have done it had it not been Arizona. That had changed everything and we are so happy it did." Noticing his daughter's teary eyes and the blonde leaning closer to comfort her, he kept talking, "But we were also scared. Because we saw how much they relied on each other, as best friends and as lovers and when college time came around, we all feared they would be separated. Luckily, that didn't happen, but even if it had, they would have made it, together. Simply because what they have is unique." Connecting the glass in his hand with the one in his wife's, he smiled at the couple. "Keep it that way, make it out of everything together."

"Amen to that", Addison agreed and stood up. "Okay, here's the thing, I know we've all sat through a lot of speeches today already. But, as one of the maids of honor, it is my duty to bore you one last time, so suck it up." It was the redhead's natural behavior that made everyone once again laugh out loud. "I could give you the most embarrassing stories about Arizona hiding her face in Callie's hair while watching a _semi-scary_ movie or about Callie freaking out because Arizona _nearly_ slipped on the wet tiles while running towards her starting block before a swimming competition, but I won't do that to them. That would be mean now, wouldn't it?"

Arizona wanted to be mad at her best friend, but she simply couldn't. It was too funny and too precious to see everybody around them laugh. Well, everybody aside from Sarita who was quietly sitting on her father's lap, playing with the decorations on the table.

"What I really need to say though", the redhead spoke over the not subsiding laughter, "is that they are a couple I look up to. They have what everybody out there wants. I have seen a lot of couples break up over college or a few months into med school and my usual advice for them was 'The best way of getting over someone is to get under another someone'. But, through all the years of being friends with Callie and Arizona, I never had to even think about saying it to them. Seriously guys, it's sickening how happy you are, but it's also a picture perfect for everyone to see. And with that, I am ending this snowball of speeches in hope that Mrs. and Mrs. Torres will soon cut the cake!"

Bursting into another fit of laughter, they both got up at the same time, never letting the other one go too far on their own today. Callie reached for the big knife lying next to their wedding cake, two brides on top of it, one blonde, one brunette. "No smashing cake in my face, remember?"

"I would never ruin that dress, Calliope" the blonde simply stated. And it was the truth. She much rather kept raking her eyes over the Latina's body, up and down, up and down. She probably could spend hours doing only that. The only thing that would be better would be to see what her wife was wearing underneath the dress. Cutting the cake, she leaned in as close as she possibly could to whisper, "Calliope? Are you wearing anything underneath?"

It made Callie choke immediately. Her breath hitched and her heart left out a beat or two. "Of- of co-course, Arizona", she stuttered.

"Just curious", the blonde shrugged.

"I think it's time for the father-daughter dance", Daniel came up behind them. "And you two need to have your first dance too."

Gladly taking the hand her father was offering her, they waited for Liam and Callie to join them, both couples now softly swaying to the music. If she would have been asked to write down what the perfect wedding would look like in her dreams, she wouldn't have come close to this day. So, she kept on swaying around with her father, content with the day, content with her life and definitely more than content with her perfect wife. Wife. She was a wife now. She had a wife now. And when the Colonel stopped dancing to put her hand into Callie's awaiting one, everything was more than perfect.


End file.
